Illicit tobacco worth nearly £60,000 seized following Trading Standards raids in Flintshire
Illicit cigarettes and tobacco worth nearly £60,000 have been seized following a number of raids on shops across Flintshire.
In a joint operation last week between Flintshire Trading Standards and HMRC, five premises in the county were ‘inspected’ for the supply of illicit tobacco.
A number of the premises visited had previously been found selling illicit tobacco which had resulted in two prosecutions and one caution, Trading Standards has said.
The visits saw a total of 92,000 cigarettes and 7,500 grams of tobacco worth a total value of £58,350 seized.
It is estimated that 11% of all cigarettes and 49% of all hand rolling tobacco consumed in the UK are illicit, whether smuggled, counterfeit, stolen or bootlegged.
Illicit tobacco brings low-level and large-scale organised crime into communities and can help fund drugs and alcohol smuggling, money laundering and even terrorism.
It is illegal for anyone to supply and possess for supply illicit tobacco, be it smuggled, bootlegged or counterfeit.
A Flintshire Trading Standards spokesperson said:
“Trade in illicit tobacco has serious consequences for crime and health in the community and causes economic detriment to legitimate local business, in many areas it allows easy cheap access for the under 18’s to tobacco addiction.
The supply of illicit and counterfeit tobacco will continue to be monitored, if you have any information regarding the sale of illicit tobacco then please contact Flintshire Trading Standards Department on 03454 040506”
What to look out for:
Smuggled
Foreign brands brought into the UK illegally to be sold on the black market.
Look out for one or more of the following:
- Foreign brand names such as Raquel and Jin Ling
- Cheaper prices – less than £ 3.50 for a pack of 20
- Foreign health warnings
- No picture health warnings
- Unusual taste
Bootlegged
Cigarettes and tobacco brought into the UK in large quantities from countries with lower tax and illegally sold – as any cigarettes brought in from outside the UK should be for personal use only.
Look out for one or more of the following:
- Popular brands such as Lambert and Butler and Superkings
- Foreign health warnings
- Cheaper prices – less than £ 3.50 for a pack of 20
Counterfeit (fake cigarettes)
Cheap cigarettes that are made to look like popular UK brands.
Look out for one or more of the following:
- Popular brands such as Lambert and Butler and Superkings
- Unusual packaging – spelling mistakes, wrong logos, foreign health warnings
- No picture health warnings
- Cheaper prices – less than £ 3.50 for a pack of 20
For further information on illicit tobacco visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk
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