Overnight raids uncover thousands of illegal cigarettes in Walsall shops
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Nearly 5,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized from shops across Walsall following a series of surprise raids targeting the illicit tobacco trade.
Trading Standards officers, working alongside West Midlands Police and a specialist tobacco detection dog, carried out Operation Moonlight during the late hours of Friday (July 3) night into the early hours of Saturday morning. Seven 24-hour retailers were visited following intelligence and complaints that illegal tobacco was being sold.
The unexpected operation caught businesses off guard, with illegal goods discovered at four of the seven premises searched.
In total, officers seized almost 5,000 illegal cigarettes, 2.4kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco, 18 banned disposable vapes, 36 snuff pouches and 24 unsafe toys, with an estimated street value of around £5,000. All items have been seized as part of ongoing investigations.
“ Those involved in selling illegal tobacco and other unsafe products should know that we will take action whenever and wherever intelligence leads us.
"Operation Moonlight was deliberately carried out during the early hours to catch offending businesses off guard, proving that enforcement doesn't stop when most people are asleep. Night or day, we'll take illegal goods away.
“Illegal tobacco is frequently linked to organised crime and exploitation, while also undermining legitimate businesses and public health campaigns aimed at stopping people smoking.
"I'd like to thank our Trading Standards officers, West Midlands Police and the specialist tobacco dog team for their excellent work. “
Illegal tobacco is unregulated and may contain significantly higher levels of harmful substances than legal products. The sale of cheap illicit tobacco also undermines public health by making smoking more affordable and accessible, particularly to young people.
Further enforcement activity will continue across the borough.
ENDS
