More than 3,500 contraband cigarettes and 272 bottles of unlicensed alcohol were seized from bars, shops and restaurants across Malta last week in a series of raids by Customs officials.

The searches of establishments in Gżira, Qormi, St Julian’s, Valletta and Paola yielded a variety of illicit items, from contraband cigarettes to wine bottles which had no excise paid and hundreds of unused excise stamps.

In a statement, Customs warned shop and establishment owners that it would be adopting a zero tolerance approach to anyone caught dodging excise dues.

In total, the searches yielded:

· 3,580 contraband cigarettes;
· 14 kilos of shisha tobacco
· 272 bottles of alcoholic beverages, including whisky, gin, rum, brandy and several
liqueurs
· 221 bottles of wine which did not have their excise tax paid
· 1,230 non-alcoholic drinks
· 2,393 plastic bags
· 725 unused excise stamps

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