Russian customs officers have unearthed a mile-long pipeline through which ingenious smugglers were pumping home-made vodka to Latvia, Ananova reports.

The tube was discovered six feet underground in Buholovo by workmen digging holes to plant trees. Local border cop Yakov Kabanov said: "We had our suspicions that there was someone running hooch across the border here but we could never figure out how they managed it.

"They probably would have got away with it for decades if those trees hadn't been planted as well."

The two rented houses connected by the pipeline were empty when raided, but police in Buholovo are reportedly "questioning people" about the illegal plumbing operation. ®

Related stories

• Bold Gaza croc-smuggling ruse ends in failure (27 March 2007)
• Russian hacking case can be heard in England, says judge (31 October 2006)
• Coke-smuggling granny jailed for eight years (12 April 2006)
• MPs take aim at eBay in gun smuggling report (3 November 2003)
• Net ‘drug smugglers’ face death penalty (20 November 2000)