Bolton trading officers seize record £4.1m worth of illegal tobacco

A raid by Bolton Council’s Trading Standards Team uncovered an estimated £4.1 million of illegal tobacco, believed to be one of the biggest seizures of its kind in the UK.

Acting on a tip-off, officers forced entry before discovering 28 boxes of raw tobacco weighing 6.1 tonnes at a lock-up in the centre of the borough. Supported by officers from Greater Manchester Police, the seized goods were removed and taken to a secure location ahead of further investigations.

The raw tobacco found during the raid is used during the initial stage in the illegal manufacturing process. The raw tobacco is later diluted with other substances in order to increase its volume. This has been found to include tree leaves, dead insects, and even rat faeces. The tobacco may also contain high concentrations of metal and other dangerous toxins which can cause serious damage to health.

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Cllr Sue Haworth, said, “This council has a zero-tolerance policy on the sale of illicit tobacco which damages our communities and deprives our NHS of vital tax income. Yesterday’s raid was an excellent example of partnership working, with both council officers and GMP joining forces to take these harmful goods off our streets.

“This is the biggest Trading Standards seizure in Bolton’s history, and one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the UK. The raid was possible thanks to the intelligence that was shared with us. I urge anyone with similar information to come forward so that together we can end the sale of illegal tobacco in Bolton.”

Sergeant Craig Wallace from GMP Bolton district said: “The Bolton South Neighbourhood team have been working in partnership with Trading Standards targeting illicit tobacco being sold in shops across Bolton. We believe this unit was one of the largest units found in the UK. This seizure is a great result for us as it means tonnes of potentially harmful products have been taken off the streets of Greater Manchester.

“We want local people to get involved and to keep talking to us, sharing concerns, and reporting suspicious behaviour so we can act on it. Intelligence from members of the public helps us with our on-going investigations - no matter how small the information may seem.”

Chief Superintendent Steph Parker, GMP’s Bolton’s District Commander said: “Greater Manchester Police take the production and distribution of illegal substances and counterfeit goods extremely seriously and we are continuing to be committed in removing these goods from our streets.

“This raid was a great success thanks to the intelligence that was shared with us and by working closely with local authorities and Bolton Council to make this possible. Ultimately this raid resulted in a positive seizure of a large amount of illegal tobacco, which has thankfully been removed from circulation and our community, further protecting the public from these extremely dangerous and harmful products.

“We’re continuing to be relentless in our pursuit of serious and organised crime and I want to take this opportunity to encourage the public to continue reporting any illegal activity so we can act and make Bolton an even safer place to live and work."