TRADE organisations argue that lower cigarette duties in countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Spain are damaging because North-East people can legitimately bring in cheap cigarettes.

John Abbott, North-East spokesperson for the Tobacco Alliance, who runs a shop in Darlington, said that high British excise duties encouraged people to buy cheaper tobacco products abroad.

Bob Fenton, a former Metropolitan police officer and now security liaison officer for the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association, said a large amount of the cigarettes bought this way were legitimate.

However, some people ignored Government restrictions on how much could be brought in for personal use - the limit is 16 cartons a trip - and how often.

He said: "It is a legitimate trade, but some of the cigarettes are smuggled and I know people who keep going back and back, even though they are not supposed to, because in Belgium a pack of cigarettes can cost £2 where it costs £4 in the shops over here.

"A pouch of tobacco can cost £2, whereas here it costs £9. It is even cheaper in France, Luxembourg and Spain.

"I even know of old people who go over on the pretext of a pensioners' trip but are paid by criminals to buy cigarettes, which the criminals pick up when they get back."

The Tobacco Alliance is campaigning for the Government to reduce the duty on cigarettes to levels enjoyed by smokers on the Continent.

Mr Abbott said: "If we harmonised with Europe, we would remove the illegal market because there would not be the money in it, and Government revenue would surely increase because there would be fewer lost sales through the black market."

The Government has declined to reduce duties, preferring instead to boost the Customs service response to smuggling.