Four men have gone on trial accused of stealing up to a quarter of a million pounds worth of tobacco which had been seized by UK Border Force.

The goods are alleged to have been stolen from the East Kent Waste Recovery Facility at Discovery Park in Sandwich.

The four Grzegorz Sikora, Adrian Love, Neil Bradley and Adrian Baker have all denied the conspiracy to steal. A fifth man, Mark Short has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later.

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court: “Augean, which operates a high temperature incinerator, has a contract with UKBF to destroy hazardous waste, including tobacco, drugs, alcohol – materials which have a high potential black market value.”

He claimed that tobacco and cigarettes were taken from the Sandwich store prior to incineration.

“They were hidden at a number of locations at the plant, from where they were later removed and sold on the black market.

“It is the Crown’s case the tobacco to the value of £235,000 was stolen.”

Sikora, 37, of Northdown Road, Cliftonville; Love, 47, of Grenville Way, Broadstairs; Bradley, 47, of St Augustines Road, Ramsgate and Adrian Baker, 49, of Bush Avenue, Ramsgate have all denied.

He claimed the alleged scam came to light when hidden tobacco was discovered by officials who then set up covert cameras and caught the goods being stolen.

Mr Connolly said that on February 18 2017, secret CCTV cameras were installed and when later viewed, revealed Short taking bags through locked gates and placing them into the back of his car.

He said later that month site manager Andy Scorer was inspecting a “seldom used” storage area on site situated behind the main incinerator.

“On looking through the door he saw a blue plastic weatherproof sheet draped over a pile of materials.

“Underneath the cover he found a number of purple plastic bin bags with green pouches of tobacco. He left them there and reported it and four days later he returned to find half of the quantity of tobacco gone," he claimed.

Mr Connolly said the manager later checked two freight containers – one was found to have a pallet of tobacco.

Cameras were set up and Short was seen driving a van to the area where the tobacco had been left.

The prosecutor said messages between the men included references to Amber, Richmond, Regal, Cutters, Mayfair, Golden Virginia and Turners – all makes of tobacco.

“The messages indicate that cigarettes and tobacco were being moved around and secreted around the site and were then supplied to others.”

He claimed one message sent to a man called “Paul Lawrence” – who has never been identified – from Short read: “How many Richmond would you want?”

Lawrence replied: “I take 100 to start see how they go wat price r they (sic)?”

Another message in January from Lawrence read: “Hi spoke to the lads can do 1000 sleeves of Mayfair at 16.50”.

Mr Connolly claimed Sikora – using the name Gregg Polish – received a message from Short which read: “Can you get any bacca this week. I can take as much as you can ££cash on delivery.”

Short was arrested and his home in Singledge Lane in Whitfield was searched where officers found 30 pouches of Rolling Pouches, which is a foreign duty label, 30 pouches of Turner and 29 pouches of Domingo.

The trial continues...