Hidden hydraulic compartment uncovered as £20,000 haul of illegal tobacco seized in Walsall
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More than £20,000 worth of illegal tobacco products have been seized from traders across Walsall as part of a major crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade.
On 18 May 2026, Walsall Trading Standards officers, working in partnership with West Midlands Police and specialist tobacco detection dogs, searched four retail premises across the borough under Operation CeCe, a national initiative led by National Trading Standards in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.
The operation resulted in the seizure of more than 16,000 illegal cigarettes and 6.7kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco. Intelligence gathered by Trading Standards indicated illicit tobacco products were being sold from the premises visited.
Illegal products were discovered in three of the four shops inspected, with officers uncovering increasingly sophisticated concealment methods designed to evade detection.
In one shop, illegal cigarettes and tobacco were hidden inside the top compartment of a working fridge. Tobacco dog Griff successfully detected the stash despite traders attempting to mask the smell using coffee granules.
At a second premises, tobacco dog Cooper located illegal tobacco concealed within a manhole in a yard behind the shop.
The third premises revealed one of the most sophisticated concealments officers have encountered to date. After tobacco dog Bran indicated the presence of tobacco beneath kitchen cabinets, the trader refused to cooperate with officers. Trading Standards and police officers were forced to use crowbars and electric power tools to gain access to a concealed hydraulic lift system hidden around five feet below the floor. Once opened, officers discovered large quantities of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco concealed inside.
All illegal goods were seized and placed into evidence as part of ongoing investigations.
“ Allowing this sort of criminal activity to continue in Walsall is simply not an option. I want to thank Trading Standards officers, West Midlands Police and the specialist dog teams for their work in locating and removing these illegal products from circulation.
“Illegal tobacco is frequently linked to organised crime and exploitation, while also undermining legitimate businesses and posing serious risks to public health. We will continue using every enforcement tool available to disrupt this activity and hold those involved accountable.
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Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said, “The illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses serious risks to local communities, especially young people. Since its launch in January 2021, Operation CeCe – a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC – has removed 69 million illegal cigarettes, 19,750kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, helping to clamp down on this illicit trade and protect communities and honest businesses across the UK.”
Illegal tobacco poses significant risks to public health, as products are unregulated and may contain harmful substances at far higher levels than legal tobacco. Cheap illicit tobacco can also make smoking more accessible to young people and undermine efforts to help residents quit smoking.
Further enforcement activity will continue to take place across the borough.
ENDS
