Under counters, a secret cupboard and inside an oven - £8.5k worth of illegal cigarettes and tobacco seized from Black Country shops
More than £8,500 worth of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco have been seized from shops and a vehicle in Walsall.
Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team worked alongside West Midlands Police officers to target the sale of illicit tobacco in Brownhills on February 28.
Illegal goods were discovered in four of the five shops, which have not been named, and within the vehicle searched.
In total, officers seized 6,640 cigarettes and 3.9kg of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated retail value of approximately £8,500.
The products were deliberately concealed in a range of locations in an attempt to avoid detection. Officers recovered illegal tobacco hidden under shop counters, inside a vehicle, within a secret cupboard, in a bin and even inside an oven.
This work forms part of Operation Fearless, a coordinated exercise led by Trading Standards and involving the police, Public Health and other agencies which aims to crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade.
Councillor Adam Hicken, portfolio holder for enforcement and safe communities at Walsall Council, said: “Those involved in selling illegal tobacco will go to great lengths to hide these products, but our officers are experienced in identifying suspicious activity and uncovering concealed stock.
“The sale of illicit tobacco undermines legitimate businesses, harms public health and is often linked to wider criminal activity. We will continue working with our partners to target those who think they can operate above the law.”
Illegal tobacco poses significant risks to public health, as its ingredients are not known or regulated and may contain higher levels of harmful chemicals.
As part of Walsall’s Tobacco Control Plan, the council works to reduce tobacco consumption, enhance local regulation and enforcement, prevent residents from starting and enhance stop smoking services to target those in greatest need.
Investigations into the seized goods are ongoing, and further enforcement action will be taken where appropriate, the agencies said.
