From illicit cigarettes to counterfeit lipstick: more than £500k of illegal goods seized in Birmingham raids
Birmingham raids net £546,000 of illicit goods - see details
Trading standards officers and police seized illegal goods worth £546,000 including hundreds of thousands of cigarettes, Viagra tablets and counterfeit lipstick in raids across Birmingham.
Four arrests were made at a Sparkhill shop where illicit goods were found both in the shop and concealed beneath floorboards in accommodation above the premises.
In the Sparkhill raid £353,271 worth of goods were seized including 15,497 packets of cigarettes (309,940 individual cigarettes) valued at £247,952; 1,468 packets of hand-rolling tobacco valued at £67,528; 445 illicit vapes valued at £3,560; 232 nitrous oxide canisters valued at £11,600; 1,478 containers of snuff valued at £2,956; 1,759 packs of chewing tobacco; 59 Viagra jelly sachets; 146 Viagra tablets; 23 counterfeit Fenty Beauty lipsticks valued at £510 and multiple non-UK compliant energy drinks.
In another raid in Birmingham city centre, trading standards officers seized 93 packets of illicit cigarettes (1,860 individual cigarettes) and 93 illicit vapes, with an estimated combined value of more than £2,000.
Similar raids took place at four premises raided in Handsworth and Bordesley Green.
No illicit goods were discovered at the Handsworth premises but illegal products were recovered from two shops in Bordesley Green.
One person was arrested in connection with the sale of nitrous oxide after trading standards officers seized 5,400 individual cigarettes, 68 packets of black naswar and other smokeless oral snuff products, 20 nitrous oxide canisters, 25 Viagra tablets and 97.2g of hand-rolling tobacco, from the first premises.
At the second premises officers seized 1,620 individual cigarettes, 81 packets of black naswar and other smokeless oral snuff products, 300g of hand-rolling tobacco and unlicensed erectile dysfunction products, including Kamagra jelly and tablets. Additionally, one person was arrested following the discovery of suspected cannabis.
In October, five additional trade premises were also raided across Lozells, Erdington and Handsworth as officers continued to target businesses suspected of supplying illicit and counterfeit goods.
Councillor Harris Khaliq, Birmingham City Council cabinet member for city services and digital, said: "Every resident should be able to shop with confidence, knowing that the products being sold in their local community are safe, legal and meet the standards people rightly expect.
"These seizures are about protecting consumers and families from illegal goods that can pose serious risks, while ensuring honest businesses are not placed at a disadvantage by those who choose to break the law.
"Fairness matters. Businesses that follow the rules should be able to compete on a level playing field, and residents should have confidence that action is being taken when illegal activity threatens their communities.
"The removal of more than half a million pounds worth of illicit products from Birmingham's streets since the beginning of October, including one of the largest single-premises tobacco seizures the city has seen, demonstrates the strength of our partnership approach and the determination of our enforcement teams.
"Working with West Midlands Police and our other partners, we will continue to take robust action against those involved in the illicit trade, protecting consumers, supporting legitimate traders and maintaining trust in Birmingham's high streets."