The factory was found in Newry
Seven men were in connection with the set up
One of Northern Ireland’s largest illegal tobacco factories has been dismantled following a raid by authorities.
The “state-of-the-art factory” was discovered in Newry on Monday by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) supported by the PSNI.
In a statement, a spokesperson for HMRC said that officers found expensive machinery, professional extraction equipment and insulation to mask noise.
Nine tonnes of tobacco and 1.25m cigarettes were confiscated with an estimated value of over £3m in unpaid duty.
Seven men were in connection with the set up
Seven men were subsequently arrested on suspicion of fraudulent evasion of duty and investigations are ongoing.
Dermot Clarke, operational lead in HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service said: “This was one of the most sophisticated tobacco factories we have ever uncovered in Northern Ireland and this will be a significant blow to the organised criminals we believe are behind it.
The factory was found in Newry
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“The illicit tobacco trade steals money from public services, undercuts legitimate businesses and funds other crimes that impact our communities.
“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol to report it to HMRC online.”