CUSTOMS officers issued a warning last night after black market cigarettes - that may be contaminated - were recovered in the North-East.
It is feared children may have taken some of the oil-soaked cigarettes before HM Customs and Excise reached the scene at Washington, Wearside.
The inland anti-smuggling team, based in Newcastle, seized 235,000 Embassy Regal cigarettes on the Pattinson Industrial Estate, on Sunday.
Officers were alerted by police, who found the cigarettes concealed in 21 45-gallon oil drums dumped on the estate.
Rob Hastings-Trew, Customs spokesman, said the cigarettes had become adulterated with lubricating oil in the drums.
He said: "It appears local children may have taken some of the cigarettes before the police arrived on the scene. We would strongly urge anyone who has any of these cigarettes not to smoke them."
He said that Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade and the environmental health officials took responsibility for the destruction of the contraband cigarettes
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