TWO men were arrested after trading standards officers and police raided a Ross-on-Wye store and seized more than 30,000 illegal cigarettes.

Officers from Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards department and West Mercia Police executed a warrant at Europe Quality Food store on Brookend Street on Saturday, January 5.

They found approximately 31,000 illegal cigarettes, some which were foreign and had no duty paid on them, and some which were counterfeit and made to look like popular brands.

The two men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of being involved in the sale of illegal tobacco.

The raid followed on from raids carried out in Hereford on December 16, when a Multi Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy (MATES) operation raided Supersam in Eign Street, and Maxii Mini Market in Commercial Road and seized 50,000 illegal cigarettes and a substantial amount of illegal hand rolling tobacco.

The overall seizure from the three shops amounts to £32,000 of tobacco duty evasion. Investigations are ongoing.

A council spokesman said: “The sale of illegal tobacco from retail premises seriously damages honest local business.”

Members of the public are urged to contact trading standards on 01432 261761 if they have information regarding the sale of illegal tobacco within Herefordshire.