Customs tracks down 28,000 contraband cigarettes

The Customs Department announced that a large haul of contraband cigarettes was discovered  yesterday in an apartment in St Julian's.

The apartment was being utilised as storage for an underlying shop.

The haul consisted of almost 28,000 contraband cigarettes, effectively translating into a tax evasion of €5,000.

St Julian's police assisted customs officials in their search. Details of the case were also passed on to the Economic Crimes Unit.

Such inspections regularly occur in Malta and Gozo, over and above the regular frontier controls conducted by customs officials.