Customs officials have seized six million cigarettes and 4.5 Tonnes of rolling tobacco during checks at Rotterdam port. The illegal tobacco products were found a month ago but the haul has only just been made public.
The cigarettes, known as “illicit whites” in official jargon, are considered illegal in the Netherlands because the brand is not officially recognized within the EU. If they and the rolling tobacco had been sold officially, they would have generated €3.9 million in tax income, officials said.
The tobacco was found by sniffer dogs and it is unclear where it originated. The customs statement said that the find had been publicized in the interests of the investigation but did not say if any arrests had been made.
