Colin Bishop had his car impounded

"This means that any innocent travellers among the 10,200 other people whose cars were seized last year will have no access to justice.

"The minister's approach seems to be that if the policy is successfully cutting down on smuggling he will pursue it irrespective of the injustice and distress caused to a significant number of innocent people.

"This is government at it's most arrogant and heavy handed."

One of the MEP's constituents, Colin Bishop from Bristol, had his car taken after going to Europe to stock up on a year's supply of cheap cigarettes.

We are not interested in persecuting the honest traveller

HM Customs and Excise spokesman

On his return, he says customs officers argued the 4,000 cigarettes he had were too many for his own use, and impounded the vehicle under laws passed to clamp down on smugglers.

Mr Watson wants cross-channel shoppers to be treated as innocent until proven guilty, and has asked the European Commissioner to press the UK Government to clarify its use of the guidelines.

People who have their cars seized have 28 days to appeal through a customs officer or a VAT and Duties Tribunal at a magistrates court.

Travellers questioned

A spokesman for HM Custom's and Excise told BBC News Online: " We are not interested in persecuting the honest traveller. If they can prove to customs officers that it is for their personal use they have nothing to worry about.

"For example, if alcohol is for a wedding then they will need to show some proof of booking a hall.

"We ask lots of relevant questions including how often they travel and how they are employed."

In 2000, an estimated �3.9bn was lost to the government coffers through tobacco smuggling, and �245m through alcohol smuggling.