Customs officers have arrested 97 people and seized 3.2 million illicit cigarettes after raiding a host of storage places, including two public housing units.

The $4.8 million-worth of cigarettes have a duty potential of $2.57 million. About 23% are counterfeit.

The arrested are aged 17 to 75, with 65 men and 32 women. Forty-nine are peddlers, 27 are distributors and 21 are buyers.

The cases involving the abuse of public housing have been referred to the Housing Department.

Nineteen public rental housing units and three tenant purchase scheme flats are suspected to have been used for the illegal storage and sale of illicit cigarettes this year. Four notices-to-quit have been issued.

Last year, 34 public rental housing units and three tenant purchase scheme flats were found to be used for similar purposes. Twelve notices-to-quit were issued with three flats recovered from the abusers.