THREE men have appeared in court charged with hoarding more than two million cigarettes at a barn near Basingstoke.

Dariusz Kochanek, Ireneusz Kosowski and Rinas Ahmed all appeared at Winchester Crown Court yesterday for charges relating to excise duty.

Officers seized 2,780,460 cigarettes from Latchmere Green Barn, in Ash Lane, Tadley on June 18 last year.

The men are all charged with carrying, removing, depositing, harbouring, keeping or issuing or either way dealing with cigarettes for which excise duty hadn't been paid with intent to defraud HM Revenue & Customs.

Kochanek, 28, of Sarum Hill, Basingstoke, Ahmed, 30, of Gilbert White Close, Greenford, London and Kosowski, 41, of Allan Close, New Malden, London, all pleaded not guilty.

Judge Jane Miller set a trial date for Monday, September 21, this year. They are on unconditional bail.