Bootleg beer imports nearly QUADRUPLE in five years as 5.6million pints confiscated at ports

SEIZURES of beer smuggled  to   Britain   have   nearly quadrupled in five years.

Some 5.6million pints were confiscated at ports compared to 1.5million in 2019, according to ­ figures.

Many cans and bottles from mainland are hidden in trucks and routed through Ireland.

Customs bosses said checks had been increased at ports such as Heysham and Birkenhead, in , and Cairnryan in .

is now estimated to cost the UK around £1billion a year in lost duty payments.

said: “A third of the price of an average UK pint goes to the taxman.

“No wonder illicit trade is booming.”

Seizures of beer smuggled  to   Britain   have   nearly quadrupled in five years