Nine people are now being questioned by police and face potential prosecution over their role in shifting the trinkets.

The merchandise was seized following a joint investigation between Paris police and French immigration authorities.

Police spokesperson Guillaume Fauconnier told Le Parisien: “The 20 tonnes are worth between €500,000 and €800,000 of merchandise. Searches also found machines for counting notes and coins. That gives an idea of the scale of this market.”