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• Foyle and West | Illegal cigarette sales defended 

Jump to full article: BBC Online, 2009-09-10

Intro:

A Londonderry retailer has defended selling illegal cigarettes and tobacco.

"Legal ones are so expensive, it's the only way we can survive, we're in competition with houses that sell them so if we don't they go elsewhere."

The man, who wants to remain anonymous, is the owner of one of 30 premises raided in Derry. Over 21,000 cigarettes were seized from his store alone.

About 50,000 contraband cigarettes and 10kg of illegal tobacco was seized in the customs operation on Wednesday.

The sale of illegal tobacco costs the taxpayer an estimated £3bn annually.

John Whiting of Revenue and Customs said the illegal trade makes millions of pounds for criminals every year.

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