Our Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service (HOTSWTS) took part in a major operation to disrupt the sale of illegal tobacco across the region last week.
During Thursday and Friday trading standards, supported by Devon and Cornwall Police, visited six retailers, four in Torquay and two in Exeter.
Using specifically trained sniffer dogs, Cooper, Griff and Bran and illegal cash detection dog Maggie, illegal tobacco products were seized at all six premises, including illegal vapes at two and cash at two.
Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes with a selling on value of more than £16,000 were seized in total.
This includes 443 pouches (21.83kg) of tobacco valued at £5316, 1029 packets (20580 cigarettes) valued at £7408 and 266 illegal vapes, with a selling on value of £3990.
Officers also discovered several sophisticated attempts to conceal the stashes including fake walls and a fake fridge with a hydraulic opening mechanism.
The seizures were all part of a nationally funded, coordinated Illegal tobacco disruption operation called Operation CeCe which saw Local Authorities across the South West, including Bristol, Gloucestershire and Dorset also carry out similar operations.
Ben Hayes is the regional illegal tobacco and vape lead in the South West. He co-ordinates OpCeCe work and provides additional support and expertise to local trading standards teams.
He said: “This has been another successful multi-agency operation to tackle illegal tobacco disruption, and the criminals who operate in our communities.
“Members of public need to be aware of serious criminal association that these products have to criminal gangs.
“I urge anyone with concerns about sales of the illegal tobacco and vaping products, including their underage sales, to report them to Trading Standards South West www.tssw.org.uk/report-it you may have the missing piece of information that we need to disrupt serious and organised crime.“
Alex Fry, Operations Manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards, said:
“Cheap illegal tobacco and vapes are being sold at ‘pocket money’ prices meaning they are accessible to children. The sellers of these products do not care about the age of the buyers or the impact the products are having on the local community.
“The money made from their sale is used by organised criminal gangs to finance other illegal activities, such as drugs, modern day slavery and people trafficking.”
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, our Cabinet Member for Trading Standards, said:
“The service uses detection dogs so for retailers who think they can get away with this illegal activity there really is nowhere to hide. And for those who think illegal tobacco is a victimless crime think again. We know that the availability of cheap, illegal tobacco at pocket money prices encourages young people to start smoking. We are also aware that the trade in illegal tobacco, which is often counterfeit, is used by organised crime groups to raise funds for their criminal activity.”
Police Inspector Ben Shardlow, who heads up local police teams in Torquay town centre, said:
“This proactive warrant was a great example of working together with Trading Standards to target those causing harm within our communities. I’m pleased we were able to seize a significant amount of illegal goods and remove them from the streets and circulation.”
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said:
“Trading Standards is a key partner in our efforts to keep the residents of Devon and Cornwall safe.
“This regional operation is an excellent example of collaborative working to achieve our common aims across the peninsula, and it’s been great to see Devon & Cornwall Police supporting this week of action in locations across the force area.
“The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is often linked to organised crime activity, which causes untold harm to our communities. Those who sell and use such products intentionally are by association complicit in supporting the illegal drug trade, people trafficking, and exploitation of vulnerable adults and children.
“There are also concerns around the safety of these unregulated items, and parents particularly are frightened of the harm they may be doing to our young people.
“If you have any information about the sale of illegal products in your local area, please report it to Trading Standards or Citizens Advice on the methods below. We must all play our part to reduce crime and make Devon and Cornwall a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Sales of illegal tobacco and/or vapes can be reported anonymously to the Trading Standards South West team at www.tssw.org.uk/report-it or by calling the Citizens Advice consumer advice line on 0808 223 1133.