fake richmond cigarettes Bishop Auckland man fined after trying to sell Belgium an EU leader for

The cigarettes hidden in the lorry and a few of the sacks of potatoes that were hiding them.(Image: Douane Franaise/French Customs) French Customs officials inspecting the lorry.(Image: Douane Franaise/French Customs) The merchandise, intended for illegal distribution networks, will be destroyed by customs officials

During the sentencing, Judge William Harbage said the monies evaded should be used to fund public services

"Non-duty paid" or bootlegged cigarettes are UK brands usually brought into the country from abroad and sold illegally

Since May 2017, plain packaging regulations require all cigarettes to be sold in standardised olive green packaging with no branding other than the brand name in a standard plain typeface, along with large pictorial health warnings