11,000 cans of illegal alcohol seized

More than 11,000 cans of beer and cider and hundreds of litres of spirits were amongst a haul of illegal alcohol seized during raids in the Black Country.

Over the last two weeks HM Revenue & Customs carried out three swoops in Rowley Regis, Sedgley and Boldmere, near Sutton Coldfield where the haul was picked up. All the drink was being sold illegally by off-licences and wholesalers in the three areas, without duty amounting to over £20,000 being paid. This is cash that would have gone to the public purse.

During a raid in Rowley Regis on Monday, 2,760 cans of beer and 676 bottles of spirits – mainly vodka and gin – were seized from a wholesaler. The revenue lost to the public purse amounts to £9,435.

In Sedgley, 8,352 cans of beer and cider, 371 bottles of wine and 10 bottles of spirits were picked up during a raid on an off-licence on November 18. The revenue lost is almost £6,677.

In the Boldmere raid nearly 3,800 cans of beer, 812 bottles of wine and 62 bottles of spirits were picked up from an off-licence, representing a revenue loss of more than £5,000.

No arrests have been made, although customs bosses revealed investigations are ongoing pending potential prosecution. They are currently unable to release any further details as to the sites of the raids.

Jennie Kendall, spokeswoman for HM Revenue & Customs, said: "This illegal trade has a devastating effect on legitimate retailers having to compete with black market traders, particularly at Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year for alcohol sales."

This operation follows recent raids which saw 73,000 cans of illicit beer seized from off-licences, cash and carry stores and wholesalers in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Coventry.