Illegal tobacco products seized during South West raids
Thousands of illegal cigarettes have been taken off Devon and Somerset's streets as part of a major operation.Trading Standards South West (TSSW) and police officers visited 50 premises across the region during a week of action from 10 to 14 March.The crackdown - part of Operation CeCe - seized 127,371 illegal cigarettes, 65.94kg (2,326 oz) of illegal hand rolling tobacco (HRT), 4,490 illegal vapes and 2.5kg (88 oz) of shisha in the South West with a total value in the region of £186,000.TSSW said the haul included 20,580 cigarettes, 21.82kg (770 oz) of HRT and 266 illegal vapes with a value of £36,459 in the Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset Council areas.
Ben Hayes, the regional illegal tobacco and vape lead at TSSW, said the operation had been "successful" and disrupted criminals operating in the South West."Members of [the] public need to be aware of [the] serious criminal association that these products have to criminal gangs," he said."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."Other council areas where raids were carried out included Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Dorset, Cornwall and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, TSSW said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
30-04-2025
- Glasgow Times
More than 10,000 illegal vapes and tobacco seized in Glasgow
Community officers in the Govan area seized more than 10,000 illegal products in a joint operation with Glasgow City Council, Trading Standards and Consumer Protection Dogs UK. The recovery took place today, April 30, according to Police Scotland Greater Glasgow, who announced the news on X. READ MORE: Two people taken to hospital after man struck by car READ MORE: Thousands to march in Glasgow for Scottish independence rally Today, as part of Operation CECE, local Community Officers carried out a joint inspection with @GlasgowCC , @socotss and @ConsumerDogs in a convenience store in the Govan area. A number of illicit tobacco, cigarettes and vapes in excess of 10,000 were seized. — Police Scotland Greater Glasgow (@PSOSGreaterGlas) April 30, 2025 They wrote: "Today, as part of Operation CECE, local Community Officers carried out a joint inspection with Glasgow City Council, Trading Standards and Consumer Protection Dogs UK, in a convenience store in the Govan area. "A number of illicit tobacco, cigarettes and vapes in excess of 10,000 were seized."
BBC News
17-03-2025
- BBC News
Illegal tobacco products seized during South West raids
Thousands of illegal cigarettes have been taken off Devon and Somerset's streets as part of a major Standards South West (TSSW) and police officers visited 50 premises across the region during a week of action from 10 to 14 crackdown - part of Operation CeCe - seized 127,371 illegal cigarettes, 65.94kg (2,326 oz) of illegal hand rolling tobacco (HRT), 4,490 illegal vapes and 2.5kg (88 oz) of shisha in the South West with a total value in the region of £186, said the haul included 20,580 cigarettes, 21.82kg (770 oz) of HRT and 266 illegal vapes with a value of £36,459 in the Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset Council areas. Ben Hayes, the regional illegal tobacco and vape lead at TSSW, said the operation had been "successful" and disrupted criminals operating in the South West."Members of [the] public need to be aware of [the] serious criminal association that these products have to criminal gangs," he said."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."Other council areas where raids were carried out included Gloucestershire, Bristol, Wiltshire, Dorset, Cornwall and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, TSSW said.
BBC News
06-02-2025
- BBC News
Oxfordshire: More than 9,000 illegal cigarettes seized by council
More than 9,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized as part of a national initiative to tackle their County Council's Trading Standards carried out raids at off-licences, convenience stores, food retailers and barbers in Banbury, Kidlington and tobacco detection dogs - which were used to sniff out contraband in concealments within till points or hidden in storerooms - assisted the the cigarettes, teams also seized counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco, nicotine pouches and vapes. The raids, carried out last month, were part of Operation CeCe - a national initiative to tackle the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products. Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council's public health chief, said its officers would "continue to crack down" on the sale of illegal products and "cause the maximum disruption possible to criminal networks"."People can help us to stamp out illegal tobacco and create a healthier and safer county by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity using the illegal tobacco hotline," he total, tobacco products with a street value of more than £5,000 were seized during the included 9,340 illegal cigarettes, 700g of counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco, 180 packs of non-compliant nicotine pouches and 42 disposable vapes, with a capacity of nicotine containing liquid nine times the maximum Kerman, the council's head of Trading Standards, said: "We are serious about taking action whenever we find anyone selling illegal tobacco.""Its sale undermines legitimate businesses in Oxfordshire and puts money into the hands of criminals," she added. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
