Boston shop closed after illegal tobacco found in secret ceiling hide

A ceiling hide which stored thousands of illegal cigarettes was controlled electronically, police said

A shop where thousands of illegal cigarettes were found stashed in the ceiling has been closed down.

More than 10,000 cigarettes, 6.6lbs (3kg) of tobacco and 324 vapes were discovered at EuroPlus, in Boston.

A secret, purpose-built hide, which could be controlled electronically, was found at the shop on West Street by search dogs on June 14.

The shop was ordered to close for three months following the raid by police and Trading Standards officers.

Illegal tobacco stashed in the shop ceiling was found by search dogs

Sgt Ian Cotton said "one of the best noses in the business" had detected the ceiling hide, which had been "installed at great expense".

He said closing shops which traded in illegal tobacco offered "a fair chance to the honest business owners of Boston".

Andy Wright, Senior Trading Standards Officer, added: "While the shop remains closed we will work with landlords to ensure criminal activity does not continue once the premises re-opens."

He added: "If that doesn't happen, we will have little hesitation in asking for an extension to the closure."