TWO men have been charged after around 2.2 million suspected illegal cigarettes were seized in Glasgow.

They were found by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in a Southside business unit on Monday.

The eight pallets of cigarettes are believed be worth £795,000 in lost duty. 

Glasgow Times: Pallets containing illicit cigarettesPallets containing illicit cigarettes

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Glasgow Times: Some of the illicit cigarettesSome of the illicit cigarettes

Two men from Glasgow, aged 57 and 53, were charged in connection with Excise Duty fraud after they were arrested by HMRC officers.

The 57-year-old was also charged in connection with a £408,000 Excise Duty fraud related to a seizure of 1.1 million suspected illegal cigarettes in Whitburn on April 27. 

The men have been released while enquiries continue.

Glasgow Times: Pallets containing illicit tobaccoPallets containing illicit tobacco

Glasgow Times: Pallet containing illicit tobaccoPallet containing illicit tobacco

Glasgow Times: Compressed illicit tobacco inside a boxCompressed illicit tobacco inside a box

This comes after an unrelated operation by HMRC officers found 1.8 tonnes of compressed raw tobacco leaf at a haulage depot in Wishaw on Friday.

When processed, the tobacco would produce two tonnes of illegal hand rolling tobacco with an estimated duty loss of £782,000. 

An investigation is underway.

Joe Hendry, assistant director at HMRC Fraud Investigation Service, said: "The trade in illicit cigarettes and tobacco damages funding for essential public services and undermines legitimate traders including small, independent corner shops that serve local communities.

"HMRC continues to work closely with our partners in Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to relentlessly pursue the determined minority who refuse to play by the rules.

"Anyone with information about the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco should report it to HMRC online at gov.uk."