A BUSINESS owned by a Bolton councillor who failed to pay his council tax on time has been raided by customs officers.

Bridgeman News, which is part-owned by Rumworth Cllr Ismail Ibrahim, was targeted by a team from HMRC on Wednesday afternoon as part of an operation to disrupt the sale and supply of suspected illegal tobacco and alcohol across Greater Manchester.

Cllr Ibrahim is a partner in the business — which is based at in Bridgeman Street - and he confirmed that HMRC had visited the shop.

He said the officers removed some imported Indian tobacco products, known as Gutka, which he believed were appropriate to sell with the correct warning labels on.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Cllr Ibrahim said: “I understand that a number of shops in the area were targeted and HMRC were in the area most of the day.

“We don’t sell alcohol or illegal cigarettes at the shop, they took away some of our stock which is called Gutka, which is a chewing nut with tobacco that we have imported.

“We were under the impression that with the correct warning signs and export messages it was ok to sell, but HMRC want to look at it and we will of course work with them on whatever they decide.”

“We are taking advice on this because it does need clarification, it is something of a grey area.”

He added: “It is a product that we are not sure of and we will 100 per cent work with HMRC on this.”

Gutka is a preparation of betel nuts and tobacco, which is designed to be chewed.

It also includes ingredients called catechu and slaked lime, which are aimed at provoking a chemical reaction as it is chewed.

It originated in India, where it is widely used and like other tobacco products, Gutka has the potential to be addictive and cancerous.

In India there have been some attempts to limit its availability because of health fears.

Cllr Ibrahim made headlines in March when a lengthy legal battle resulted in the Bolton News being able to reveal that he was the Labour councillor who had twice been summonsed to court for failing to pay his council tax on time.

After the revelation, he was stripped of his role as chairman of the council’s corporate scrutiny committee and his subsequent £5,000 allowance.

Greater Manchester Police were also called to the shop on Wednesday — after bystanders confused the HMRC raid for a robbery taking place.

HMRC said its overall operation — carried out at numerous premises across June 7 and 8 — was aimed at “disrupting the sale and supply of suspected illegal tobacco” in parts of Greater Manchester, including Bolton.

A spokesman said: “The visits, as part of HMRC’s multi-agency activity, led to what is believed to be tobacco and alcohol products, on which UK duty hasn’t been paid, being seized from multiple premises. This included 565,000 cigarettes, with an estimated £171,990 duty and VAT evaded. 414 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated £98,415 duty and VAT evaded and 6280 litres of spirits / beer, with an estimated £1796 duty and VAT evaded.”

Officers are now making inquiries to determine what further civil or criminal action may be taken.

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or alcohol should contact the HMRC 24-hour Hotline on 0800 59 5000.