Two men have been arrested after thousands of counterfeit cigarettes were seized.

Eastern Daily Press: Some of the illegal cigarettes seized by police in King's Lynn Picture: Norfolk ConstabularySome of the illegal cigarettes seized by police in King's Lynn Picture: Norfolk Constabulary (Image: Archant)

Officers from the local and neighbourhood policing teams attended three separate addresses across King’s Lynn on Monday.

They found more than 50,000 illegal cigarettes at a store on London Road, an address on Lansdowne Street and a shop on Norfolk Street.

A man, aged in his 20s and from the King Lynn area, and a man, aged in his 30s and from the Peterborough area, were arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences. They have since been released under investigation whilst enquiries are ongoing.

The operation is the latest in a string of seizures across Norfolk. Trading standards officers say the counterfeits often contain more harmful substances than normal cigarettes.

They are often manufactured abroad and smuggled into the country to avoid paying duty.