A Giffnock shopkeeper hid 62,000 illicit cigarettes at his home to sell at his Pollok shop.

In June 2013 Police Scotland officers searched 49-year-old Younis Mohammed’s home in Merrycrest Avenue where officers made the massive discovery.

The case was referred to HMRC and a total of 62,200 cigarettes of various brands as well as 46.65kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized.

It is understood he was planning to sell the products from a shop in Pollok where he worked.

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Mohammed pleaded guilty to evading £11,838 excise duty at Glasgow Sheriff Court on March 14 and, on April 25, he was sentenced to a community payback order of 225 hours unpaid work to be completed within nine months.

At the same court yesterday, Mohammed was told to pay a confiscation order of £10,000 within two months.

Joe Hendry, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Our work doesn’t stop at conviction and we do everything we can to help recover the profits criminals make, to fund public services.

“We encourage anyone with information about the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco to contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”