CUSTOMS officers seized one and a half million illegally smuggled cigarettes during a raid on an industrial estate in Poulton-le-Fylde.

The cigarettes, valued at £322,000, were concealed in 29 rolls of paper, each around one metre in diameter.

A transit van was also seized by officers, who are continuing their investigation.

Customs officers raided a unit on the Poulton Industrial Estate off Garstang Road East.

Had the cigarettes been sold on illegally, the Government would have missed out on more than a quarter of a million pounds in tax.

Customs officers say the seizure was the largest on the Fylde coast for several years and a major success in the nationwide fight to keep illegal cigarettes off Britain's streets and shelves.

Tobacco smuggling costs an estimated £9 million per day in lost tax revenue.

Customs spokesman, Matthew King, said: "This seizure shows Customs are in the front line in the Government's aim to reduce the availability of smuggled cigarettes, and we are pleased to have stopped so many illegal cigarettes reaching the streets of the north-west.

"If you know of any suspicious activities which may be a result of cigarette smuggling, please call our confidential 24 hour free phone -- 0800 59 5000 -- or write to Freepost SEA9391, PO Box 100, DA12 2BR."

Mr King said he was unable to give further details of how officers managed to track down the smuggled cigarettes, but says that seizures of this size normally come about because of intelligence information.

Two men have been arrested after the raid. They were questioned by officers at a local police station before being released on bail until October 10.