Posted on Wednesday 5th October 2022
A Trading Standards Officer next to illegal tobacco.
Officers from Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards service supported by Staffordshire Police have made seizures of illegal tobacco in Tamworth.
The raids, at three shops in the town in September resulted in seizures of 8,800 illicit cigarettes, 2.6kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco and 378 illegal disposable vape products.
The seizures, with a street value of just under £12,000 are part of Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council said: “This is another successful operation which is helping take these illegal and dangerous products off our streets. All tobacco is harmful, but the sale of illegal and illicit tobacco also makes it easier for children to start smoking and get hooked.
“These latest seizures show that we continue to work with partner agencies and to take action where illegal sales are going on. Anyone with information should get in touch with the team.”
In the UK, it is estimated that about 1 in 10 of all cigarettes and half of all hand-rolling tobacco are not duty paid. The illegal trade in tobacco also has strong links to organised crime and illicit tobacco can have a devastating effect on health.
Anyone with information about the sale of counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes in Staffordshire should call the Fight the Fakes hotline on 01785 330356 or visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/fakes.