CUSTOMS and excise investigators leading the fight against East Lancashire's bootleg booze pedlars and counterfeiters are facing the axe, according to unions.

The Public and Commercial Services Union is claiming hundreds of jobs could be under threat following a review of Government spending.

But while the union say Customs and Excise departments across the country will lose 1,200 staff over the next three years Excise bosses deny the cuts will affect front line activites like anti-smuggling and drug operations.

Dennis Harty, the union branch secretary for the North West, said: "In terms of staff we are already pretty threadbare across the region.

"Although we are not the most popular people with the public a recent MORI poll found that the vast majority of the public recognise the importance of the work we do. The Government says it has become increasingly concerned about the level of alcohol and tobacco smuggling but at the same time they are cutting back on resources."

A Customs and Excise spokesman said: "Greater use of technology, improved risk assessment systems, new procedures and changes in patterns of trade will lead to a reduction of 1,200 posts.

"About 20 of these posts are arguably front line but they follow our normal activity of re-assessing areas of risk in areas of changing priority."

East Lancashire's team of investigators is based in Blackburn and has been involved in a series of high profile operations. Because of historical links with the textile industry the area is well known as a centre for counterfeit clothing.

There is also a recognised problem with bootleg booze and cigarettes being sold in the area's pubs and clubs.

And according to recent research at the region's football grounds more than 30 per cent of discarded cigarette packets were found to be not subject to tax.

Customs and Excise officers also work closely with the police on combating drugs dealers.

A spokesman for the North West headquarters of Customs and Excise said: "It is likely that around 40 posts in the North West will be affected over the next 12 months.

"About two thirds of these are linked to local reorganisation and the posts will be redistributed to other parts of the country.

"One thing is certain frontline services in the North West will not be affected."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.