Thousands of pounds worth of black market cigarettes and alcohol have been seized in Westminster.
Among the haul was 145kg of tobacco and herbal shisha and 79 litres of spirits, which HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) believe have not had UK duty paid on them.
Officers from HMRC and Westminster Council’s trading standards team went on a blitz around Edgware Road on Thursday (January 29) and confiscated the goods from six independent shops as part of an HMRC clampdown on the sale of goods with unpaid duty.
Officers also seized 2,840 cigarettes and 23kg of loose tobacco products, with the total duty evaded coming in at a whopping £35,574.
Edgware Road, in north Westminster, is known for its late-night shisha cafes, 24-hour shawarma restaurants and Arabic-themed nightclubs.
Jennie Kendall, spokeswoman for HMRC, said: “The illegal trade in alcohol and tobacco products has a devastating impact on legitimate retailers, who have to compete with black market traders.
"It’s robbing the UK economy of vital funding and those selling these goods do not promote they are buying them from criminals - the profits of which are funding organised crime to the detriment of all our communities.”
No arrests have yet been made and investigations are ongoing.
HMRC and the council is asking local people and businesses to join them in the fight against crime and anyone with information on illegally imported goods or tax evasion and fraud should call the customs hotline on 0800 59 5000.
