Profit margins have made cigarette smuggling an attractive risk

More than 800,000 cigarettes have been seized at Belfast International Airport in the last ten days alone.

This represents a loss to the public purse of almost �150,000.

Profit margins have made cigarette smuggling an attractive risk, as 200 duty-free cigarettes which cost between �12 and �15 can be sold on for about �30 in Northern Ireland.

Colin McAllister of the Customs Anti-Smuggling Unit said small syndicates and larger organised groups were using the cover of package holidays to smuggle cigarettes with no duty paid, which would then be sold on.

"Some groups deliberately target individuals and give the young children the cigarettes to smuggle.

"For the person who wants to take the chance, or for the group or workers who send out a syndicate, we will be there this summer at all the major airports within Northern Ireland and we will be covering them.

"I would say to them, 'Don't try it'".

Customs are also planning intelligence-led staff deployments in an attempt to cut off contraband supply lines.

This crackdown will extend to cocaine and heroin, with sniffer dogs being regularly brought in from Manchester.