FOUR men have been released on bail after Customs and Excise officers swooped at a village mill and uncovered 3.5 million cigarettes.

The warehouse, used by furniture company Downshire house Reproductions, Abbey Mills, Abbey Village, was raided by officers who seized the haul valued at around £750,000.

Four men were taken to Leyland Police station for questioning by the officers after the raid last Friday at 9am.

An eyewitness, who did not want to be named, told The Citizen: "There were around 20 officers who came and a vehicle was impounded."

The four, three from Oldham and one from Burnley, have been bailed until April 12 pending investigations. No charges have been made.

The company has trade links throughout the world including Indonesia and the United States. Stan Glassbrook, warehouse manager at the company, said: "Following Friday morning's events internal investigations are under way to ascertain who has been using the company name for unauthorised imports. We are working in close co-operation with Customs and Excise to resolve the matter."

A Customs and Excise spokesman said there was a possibility that the cigarettes would have been sold locally at car boot sales, from the backs of vans and possibly outside school gates.

This latest raid is part of a continuous crackdown by Customs and Excise on tax-evading smugglers. Last year a total of 115 million cigarettes were seized in Lancashire with one single haul of 24 million.