One in six cigarettes smoked are likely to have been smuggled into the UK, figures in the annual estimate of revenue lost by customs suggest.

The latest report by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) puts the maximum amount lost from smuggled alcohol, cigarettes, hand-rolled tobacco and petrol at nearly GBP 5.5 billion (EUR 5.7 billion). According to the figures, one out of every six cigarettes – 11 billion out of 64 billion – was smuggled into the country, meaning that the illegal cigarette trade has increased over the past year. The figures also showed that over half of all hand-rolled tobacco entered the country illegally.
The Liberal Democrat spokesman for the Treasury, Matthew Oakeshott, described the amount of revenue lost to smuggling as "shocking". "HMRC's upper estimate of the annul revenue loss totals nearly GBP 5.5 billion. This is almost GBP 100 for every man, woman and child. It's enough to pay every pensioner a GBP 500 Christmas bonus every year," he said.
The figures in HMRC's annual report are based on the General Household Survey. Responsibility for tackling smuggling will soon pass to the UK Borders Agency. (pi)