TRADING standards officials are urging the public for further help in stopping illegal tobacco sales after more than 600,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes were seized in the region.

An appeal last year led to a surge in public tipoffs about illegal cutprice cigarettes sold from homes, shops and garages.

Trading standards, police and customs officers seized about 646,000 smuggled cigarettes and 327kg of hand-rolled tobacco in the region between September and December.

Richard Ferry, of the North-East Trading Standards Association, described the response as excellent and urged people to continue providing vital information.

He said the latest concern is that the vast majority of smuggled cigarettes found in the region are imported brands from the Far East and Eastern Europe – including Jin Ling, HRT, Yes and Bon International – made purely for the illegal market.

Officials are concerned that they do not carry health warnings and the shocking, graphic warnings that smoking causes lung cancer, mouth cancer and a raft of other diseases which have deterred so many from smoking.

Many of these cutprice packs – priced at £3 or £3.50 for 20 – are sold to children as well as adults from so-called “tab houses” trading from private homes.

Ailsa Rutter, director of anti-smoking organisation Fresh, said: “The sellers have no morals. They will even sell single cigarettes called ‘lucies’ to children.”

Anyone with information about people dealing in illegal tobacco can call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555-111.