In the early hours of this morning, RGP officers arrested two men on suspicion of being Knowingly Concerned in the Exportation of Tobacco.

At around 2am, Roads Policing officers were monitoring traffic on Queensway when their attention was drawn to a Citroen car which was driving northwards.  The car in question immediately accelerated and drove in the direction of Coaling Island, followed by the officers on their motorcycles.  Once at Coaling Island, the car’s two occupants abandoned their vehicle and fled.

Both men were quickly apprehended, arrested and taken to New Mole House.  One was a local man, 22, while the other was a Spanish national, aged 41.  The local man was also arrested on the strength of eight warrants issued by the Magistrates’ Court.

The car was found to contain 36 half-boxes of cigarettes and one full box with an estimated street value of £17,000.

The two men were later released on bail till January 2024 while enquiries continue.