This week, a raid on shops in Freeman Street and Hainton Avenue, Grimsby, saw more than 40,000 illegal cigarettes and around 10kg of illicit hand-rolling tobacco seized. Public health experts say some of these items would almost certainly have been smoked by young people in North East Lincolnshire.
All tobacco can kill, but the danger with illicit products is that they may not self-extinguish due to not having been safety tested, so they may even start a fire.
Health wise, illegal tobacco and cigarettes are unregulated and untested and national tests of illegal cigarettes have found arsenic, asbestos, animal faeces and dead insects in the tobacco.
The products, which are believed to have a street value of approximately £12,500 and a legitimate retail value of around £38,000, were seized by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Trading Standards team with support from Humberside Police and Immigration Enforcement.
The illegal tobacco was discovered during inspections of four businesses. Specialist tobacco detection dogs helped officers uncover concealed products hidden within premises and two nearby vehicles.
All seized tobacco products have now been removed from sale, helping to prevent potentially dangerous and unregulated products from reaching consumers.
Unlike legitimate tobacco products, illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco are not subject to strict safety regulations or quality controls.
Public health experts warn that illegal tobacco products can undermine efforts to reduce smoking rates and often make smoking more affordable and accessible, particularly to young people.
Geoff Barnes, Deputy Director of Public Health for North East Lincolnshire, said:
“The seizure of more than 40,000 illegal cigarettes and 10kg of illicit tobacco is significant and removes a substantial quantity of potentially harmful products from our communities.
“Illegal tobacco is completely unregulated. Consumers have no way of knowing what is in these products or the conditions in which they have been manufactured. Previous testing has identified a range of dangerous contaminants that should never be inhaled.
“Cheap illegal tobacco also makes it easier for people, particularly young people, to start or continue smoking. By tackling this illegal trade, we are helping to protect both public health and our communities.”
Joint enforcement action
The operation involved three highly-trained tobacco detection dogs from Wales: Griff, a liver-and-white Springer Spaniel, Maggie, a brown Cocker Spaniel, and Cooper, a Fox Labrador. Their specialist skills enabled officers to locate large quantities of suspected illegal tobacco concealed in holdalls and other hidden compartments.
Investigations into the seized products are continuing, with Trading Standards officers reviewing evidence and considering a range of enforcement options under national legislation.
Immigration Enforcement officers also participated in the operation and made one arrest for an alleged breach of Immigration Bail. The case may result in a referral notice carrying a potential civil penalty of up to £60,000 for the business owner. More than £1,000 in cash was also seized during the visits.
Humberside Police Neighbourhood Policing Chief Inspector Claire Jacobs said: “As part of the this day of action, officers from our Neighbourhood Policing Team assisted North East Lincolnshire Council to help tackle illicit cigarettes and tobacco within North East Lincolnshire.
“My team and I remain committed to making our communities safer and by working with partner agencies, as part of operations like this, it means we are able to do this and remove criminality from our area.”
Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes can report it anonymously via https://keep-it-out.co.uk/.
Reports can also be made to Trading Standards by emailing [email protected] or calling (01472) 326299, option 3.
For more information on how to quit smoking, visit https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/health-wellbeing-and-social-care/health-and-wellbeing/stop-smoking/
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