THIS is the astonishing haul of more than 20 million counterfeit cigarettes that were seized by customs officers at Southampton docks.

Officers discovered two 40ft containers crammed with counterfeit Regal brand cigarettes that arrived by cargo vessel from China. Some 10.8 million cigarettes were found in the first consignment and 10.5 million in the second. The amount of revenue evaded is estimated at £4.5m.

The estimated high street price for this number of cigarettes is around £5.3m.

The seized cigarettes have been burned at a power station to help fuel the national grid.

Peter Avery, HM Revenue and Customs Assistant director of criminal investig-ation, said: “Southampton’s biggest cigarette haul has prevented dangerous counterfeit cigarettes from reaching the UK’s streets. Cigarette smugglers don’t care about the damage they cause by undercutting honest retailers and tobacconists – or what health dangers lurk in unlicensed and unregulated tobacco.

“All smugglers care about is profit.”

The discovery was made in December but details have only just been been released and a man has now been charged in connection with the discovery.

Businessman Guy Simpson, 52, of Heath Charnock, Chorley, Lancashire, will appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on June 4 charged with being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of tax duty Anyone with information about illegal smuggling activities should call the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 595 000.