Smugglers trying to sell more than £1 million of cheap alcohol in the run-up to Christmas had their drinks seized at ports including Poole before they could reach the black market, officials have said. More than 300,000 litres of beer, cider, wine and spirits were held at ports across the south of England in the last week of November alone, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) said. Carole Upshall, UKBA regional director, warned criminals were "trying to exploit the pressure on household finances by offering cheap booze in the lead-up to Christmas".