What you need to know

PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE SUPPLY OR SALE OF ILLEGAL TOBACCO CAN FACE SERIOUS PENALTIES:

• Up to 10 years in prison.
• Unlimited fine.
• Any illegal tobacco and the vehicle used for transportation can be seized.
• Proceeds of the crime can be seized, whether it's money or the confiscation of high value assets, such as jewellery, cars and property.

• Loss of job and poor employment prospects due to a criminal record.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Clearly, it's not illegal to go abroad and buy cheap cigarettes for your own use, which includes gifts to friends and family - as long as the amount is within HMRC guidelines and no money changes hands. However, bringing cheap cigarettes or tobacco in from abroad and selling them on is breaking the law.

There are no limits on the amount of duty/tax paid tobacco goods you can bring into the UK from the European Union (EU), as long as they are for your own use, not for commercial gain and are transported by you personally.

However, you are likely to be asked questions at the UK frontier if you have more than the following:

• 800 cigarettes
• 400 cigarillos
• 200 cigars
• 1 kg of tobacco

If you're coming back from a country outside of the EU, there are limits on what you can bring back into the UK:

• 200 cigarettes or
• 100 cigarillos or
• 50 cigars or
• 250g of tobacco

DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT. YOU COULD FACE A FINE OR WORSE. STICK WITHIN THE LIMITS AND GUIDELINES AND NEVER SELL ON WHAT YOU BRING BACK.

HAVE YOUR SAY

To share any information call Crimestoppers anonymously on: 0800 555 111