THE ‘Duty Men’ have rumbled an illicit vodka racket. 

HM Revenue and Customs have revealed almost 1,000 bottles of illegal alcohol were seized officers in the north Armagh area on Thursday night.

In a major operation across Lurgan and Portadown, bottles of vodka were found.

HMRC officers, accompanied by the PSNI, visited a number of commercial premises on Wednesday and seized the alcohol, worth an estimated £9,000 in lost duty.

Mike Parkinson, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation, HMRC, said: “The trade in illicit alcohol is a serious crime and one we are determined to disrupt.

“Cheap alcohol products are far from the bargain they may initially appear and people may not be aware they are buying from those involved in organised crime.

“Illicit alcohol has a devastating impact on legitimate traders working hard to make a living so we would ask if anyone has any information about the storage or sale of illegal alcohol to contact the Customs’ Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

Investigations into the seizure of the 687 litres of vodka are continuing.