Millions of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco found in van during £1.3m motorway raid

A huge haul of around 1.4 million counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco with a combined street value of £1.3m has been seized by police. Three men have been arrested - including one from Bolton and one from Manchester.

The stash of cigarettes was found inside a van stopped on a motorway on Tuesday, Lancashire Police has revealed, together with around 75kg of hand-rolling tobacco. Put together, the cigarettes and tobacco would have resulted in a loss of £600,000 in excise duty, the force said as it revealed details of the operation and images of the haul.

A 37-year-old man from Bolton, a 28-year-old man from Manchester and a 32-year-old man from Doncaster were arrested on suspicion of theft and counterfeit offences, Lancashire Police added. Trading Standards and HM Revenue and Customs are also now investigating.

The seizure followed a report to police of 'suspicious activity' in Blackburn after a large group of men were seen loading boxes filled with cigarettes into a van.

Lancashire Police said: "At around 10.30am yesterday (Tuesday) roads policing officers on patrol in Blackburn received reports of suspicious activity on Peter Street, after a large group of men had been seen loading boxes of cigarettes into the back of a van.

"A short time later officers stopped a Volkswagen Crafter van on the M65, close to junction four, while an Audi S3 was stopped on the A56 at Rising Bridge. The vehicles were searched and in the van approximately 1.4 million counterfeit cigarettes and 75kg of hand-rolling tobacco were located. The items have an estimated street value of £1.3m and would have resulted in a loss of £600,000 in excise duty.

"Three people have been arrested on suspicion of theft and counterfeit offences. They are a