Illegal tobacco valued at more than £50,000 seized in Walsall
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More than £50,000 worth of illegal tobacco has been seized from traders across Walsall as part of a major crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade.
On Tuesday 4 August, officers visited six shops and a storage facility as part of Operation CeCe, a national initiative led by National Trading Standards in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.
Illegal tobacco products were seized from four shops and one associated flat across the borough, including premises in Darlaston, Birchills, Brownhills and Walsall Wood.
In total, officers recovered 48,720 illicit cigarettes and 13.6kg of hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated retail value of £52,000.
The associated flat, used to store illegal tobacco, contained products hidden throughout a small room, including inside cupboards, drawers and even a shower.
Officers uncovered a number of sophisticated concealments during the operation. At one premises, a search uncovered a concealed compartment built into a shop counter, secured using electromagnets to hide illegal tobacco from view.
At another, detection dogs helped locate products hidden beneath rubble and inside a wheelie bin. In a separate incident, a member of staff attempted to evade enforcement action by fleeing the shop and throwing illegal tobacco over a fence.
“ The illegal tobacco trade is far from a victimless crime. It undermines legitimate businesses, fuels organised criminal activity and makes cheap tobacco more accessible.
"This operation shows the lengths some people will go to conceal illegal products, but it also demonstrates the determination of our officers and partners to find them. “
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, 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 102 million illegal cigarettes, 20,550kg 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.”
The operation forms part of Walsall Council's ongoing work with partners to tackle the illegal tobacco trade, protect legitimate businesses and reduce the availability of illicit products within local communities.
Further enforcement activity will continue to take place across the borough.
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