A second large haul of cigarettes has been found by customs officers at Dover in less than a week.

Staff from UK Borders Agency seized approximately six million cigarettes.

The attempted revenue evasion is approximately £900,000.

Officers stopped a lorry at the Eastern Docks last Wednesday and found the cigarettes hidden within the load of frozen fruit.

Seven million cigarettes found in grapes cargo

The driver of the lorry, Ronan Hughes, 27, from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, has been charged with duty evasion and appeared at Dover Magistrates Court.

He pleaded not guilty and will reappear at court in Dover again on October 23.

Bob Gaiger, HMRC regional spokesman in the South East said: “Smuggling and selling cigarettes and other excise goods is not a harmless tax fiddle.

“It cheats the Government of revenue which can be used to fund public services such as schools and hospitals.

“Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to cigarette and tobacco smuggling should call the HMRC 24-hour hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

More than seven million cigarettes, concealed among a cargo of grapes, were seized on Sunday, August 24, at Dover’s Eastern Docks.

The driver of the lorry, Efthymios Galanopolus, 43, from Greece, has been charged with duty evasion.