More than one million illegal cigarettes seized in Warwickshire wide crack-down

More than one million illegal cigarettes were seized in the last 18 months by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards service.

Some 1,008,660 cigarettes - or 50,433 packets of 20 - which were either counterfeit or non-duty paid, were seized by Trading Standards officers following raids on suspected shops across the county.

Officers also seized nearly 300kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco – 5773 packets.

In total officers estimate that had these products been genuine they would have sold for £778,000, with a value as illegal products of £320,000.

The officers have also been acting on the concerns over the availability of illegal vapes and in the last year have seized 10,100 – depriving the sellers of an income of £120,000.

They have also been working with the landlords of problem shops to get the sellers evicted.

Jonathon Toy, service manager for Trading Standards and Community Safety, said: “While I am shocked by the sheer number of illegal cigarettes this service has seized in such a short period of time, I’m delighted that we are protecting the health of Warwickshire residents while we continue to disrupt the sale of these products and deprive their sellers and the organised crime groups they work for, of significant sums of money.”

“The availability of illegal cigarettes, often sold at pocket money prices makes it easier for children to start smoking and get hooked and more difficult for existing smokers to quit their habit.

"We also know that sellers have strong links with criminal gangs and the money they make may end up supporting drug dealing, money laundering and people trafficking.”

“We are also concerned by the availability of illegal vapes, and I’m pleased we are continuing to disrupt their sale in Warwickshire.”

All illegal products seized are destroyed once any legal proceedings are concluded.

To report the sale of illegal cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine inhaling vapes to Warwickshire Trading Standards via the Central England Trading Standards Authorities confidential fakes hotline call 0300 303 2636.