More than £10,000 worth of illicit tobacco seized from two shops in Brierly Hill
More than £10,000 worth of illicit and counterfeit tobacco concealed in two shops in the Dudley borough have been seized by trading standards.
Officers from Dudley Council and West Midlands Police raided the two stores in Brierley Hill after they were suspected of the crime.
Enforcement officers – with tobacco detection dogs – found a hidden compartment in the ceiling space of a stock room at the first location.
A total of £10,000 worth of mixed brands and illicit and counterfeit cigarettes – along with hand-rolling tobacco products – were seized.
Conceal
And a smaller, but still significant haul was found at a nearby convenience store where the owner had also tried to conceal his stock.
Now chiefs are set to pursue legal action to shut the stores – which cannot be named for legal reasons – down, with trading standards chiefs pursuing Closure Orders at court.
Councillor Nicolas Barlow, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "[The] successful operation is a reminder to anyone considering trading in illegal tobacco that it will not be tolerated in our borough and those who choose to pursue such illicit behaviour will face the strong arm of the law.
"I would like to thank everyone involved in this important work, helping to protect our residents from illegal and counterfeit tobacco, which can have very dangerous implications for a person’s health."
Illegal tobacco products do not display the health warnings required by UK legislation and do not alert the customer to the serious health risks associated with them.
Anyone who has information about illegal tobacco trade can report to the trading standards team on 01384 818872.
