POLICE have netted a huge cache of illegal alcohol following an evening raid on a house in Halton.
Officers who swooped on the home, on Friday recovered 521 bottles of a vodka mixer drink, 230 cans of beer and 10 one-litre bottles of vodka.
They also discovered a large amount of cigarettes and a 'substantial' quantity of cash at the house in Hough Green.
Following the execution of a search warrant, a 54-year-old man has been arrested and has since been charged by Customs and Excise officers with evading excise duty.
He has also been reported for summons on suspicion of selling intoxicants without a licence.
The man has been bailed to appear before Halton magistrates on Tuesday, August 7.
The arrest came as the result of a joint operation targeting the illicit sale of alcohol and cigarettes to youngsters, jointly spearheaded by police, customs and trading standards officers from Halton Borough Council.
A Cheshire Constabulary spokeswoman said enquiries are still ongoing by the council's planning department in relation to trading without planning permission.
A council spokeswoman said: 'The consumer protection division has long recognised the problems that sale of alcohol to minors can create, in terms of the health of the children involved and also in terms of the public nuisance that is often a consequence.
'The division intends to launch a proof of age card scheme in the autumn to provide 16 to 18-year-olds with a photo ID card as proof of their age.
'It is hoped the scheme will help traders to identify people who are too young to buy the products they sell.'
