CUSTOMS Minister Paul Boateng says he wants to break the link between smugglers and organised crime. Speaking during a visit to Dover's Eastern Docks, he praised the Customs officers based at the port for the work they were doing in catching those who cost the taxpayer £2.5 billion a year by smuggling goods.

He said there were no lengths to which the smugglers would not go to try to avoid paying revenue. Mr Boateng was shown a camper van which had been adapted with various false compartments and which had been seized by Customs officers at Dover with half a million cigarettes hidden in it. Revenue due on this consignment alone was £18,000.

A £209 million tobacco strategy was launched in March last year to put tobacco smuggling into decline over three years. "We are on target," said Boateng. "Legitimate High Street traders will tell you that their business is being protected.

"We want to break the link between smuggling and organised crime. It's not about the tourist and honest bona fide citizens going about their lawful business. There is nothing here to interrupt people's right to travel back and forward across the Channel.

"Even babies are being used to cover up smuggling," said Mr Boateng. "People have been known to hide goods under babies in prams. It is surprising the lengths people will go to in order to smuggle goods into this country.

Mr Boateng watched a new X-ray scanner in use at the docks. It is being used jointly by Customs and Immigration to scan lorries and detect smuggled goods and illegal immigrants.