Posted on Thursday 26th September 2024
Photos of some of the seized items
Trading Standards officers at Staffordshire County Council have seized illegal vapes, illicit cigarettes, and illegal food items, with an estimated retail value of £8000.
Officers supported by Staffordshire Police, made the discovery during a raid at a premises in Hednesford on Thursday,19 September. 533 illegal or oversized vapes, 160 cigarettes and 219 illegal food items including American candy and drinks were seized.
The action was part of Operation CeCe and Operation Joseph, both national initiatives to tackle the sale of illicit tobacco and illegal vapes respectively.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“Our officers continue to tackle the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes, and it’s great to see yet another successful operation.
“The supply of these illegal goods is closely linked to organised crime and helps fund their operations. The items can also be dangerous to people’s health and affect legitimate traders, so it’s good to get them off the streets. Anyone with information on the sale of such goods should contact the team, who will investigate the matter.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said:
“The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law.
“Having removed 19 million illegal cigarettes and 5,103kg of hand rolling tobacco in 2023-24, Operation CeCe (a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC) has taken £27.2 million worth of illicit tobacco off the market since the operation launched in 2021 and continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.”
Since the start of Operation CeCe and Joseph, Trading Standards officers in Staffordshire have seized almost 610,000 cigarettes, over 25,000 vapes and 301 kg of hand rolling tobacco. The seizures have a total retail value of around £740,000.
People can report the sale of illegal goods online at Trading Standards Report It - Staffordshire County Council or on the confidential helpline on 01785330356.