Joint-venture operator Travel Free sro has opened a new duty-paid store on the German-Czech border crossing of Selb-A?.

The crossing is used by more than 400,000 Germans a month , many of whom take advantage of cheaper prices on spirits, wine and tobacco .

Customers can legally take home up to 10 litres of strong spirits, 20 litres of spirits below 22 per cent abv, 90 litres of wine, and 110 litres of beer.

Ralf Tiedt, eastern Europe manager at Gebr Heinemann, one of the companies involved in the joint venture, said: "O ur business relationships in the Czech Republic have enabled us to convince those involved of the benefits of maintaining these border shops."