MORE than £69,000 of smuggled goods has been seized by customs and excise in the North West -- the bulk of it in Blackburn.

Both local and national HM Customs and Excise officers made a series of raids in Manchester, Wigan, Liverpool, Blackpool and Blackburn -- where the highest hit rate was recorded.

Of 11 visits six seizures were made.

Houses, market stalls, pubs and clubs were targeted over a four-day blitz, resulting in a massive haul. In Blackburn 30,000 cigarettes and 50 kilos of hand rolling tobacco were seized, along with three cars which had been involved in the smuggling.

In Blackpool and Blackburn combined, 96,000 litres of spirits were taken by officers.

The whole operation involved 16 officers and a total of 80 premises in the North West. The items seized were 181,360 cigarettes, 155.24 kilos of tobacco, 146 litres of spirits and four cars.

The premises were raided after intelligence information was gathered on places thought to be involved in selling illicit alcohol and tobacco.

Customs and Excise officers questioned a number of people and a man from Manchester was arrested. Inquiries are continuing.

Spokesman Matthew King, said: "This has been a bad few days for alcohol and tobacco smugglers in the North West.

"The hard work of our officers has been rewarded with large scale seizures.

"The people involved in this crime are not out to do a few favours for their mates -- they are making a systematic attack on the interests of the British people.

"They are using the profits from this trade to fund other illegal activity."

Nobody has yet been charged.