Councillors should "name and shame" businesses which have been prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco or vapes, a meeting heard.
West Yorkshire Joint Services, which runs Trading Standards, told members of Bradford Council's Corporate Scrutiny Committee that court fines were often limited and not a deterrent.
Director Andy Robson said publicising businesses and people involved in criminal activities could be a more effective punishment than any fine handed out by the courts.
"We need to make it less attractive for people who want to carry out criminal activity. We have to keep one step ahead of them. We use sniffer dogs to get round this, but it is a challenge," BBC quoted Robson as saying.
Robson added they were seeing a lot of stock "stored in concealed cupboards or in hatches operated by mobile technology".
The meeting also heard the challenges and impact of revoking licences of businesses.
"One problem is if a business is family run – the business licence might be in the name of one person," he said. "If they get convicted the licence might be reapplied for by their brother or wife. That is a flaw in the licensing system."
Labour member of the committee Nussrat Mohammed asked if prosecutions of businesses were publicised, adding, "It could act as a deterrent to other people who want to get into this illegal business."
Robson said the convictions were always publicised online, and urged members to help "name and shame" the criminal businesses in their community.
"I would encourage all councillors to circulate these convictions. These individuals take a risk, but if they are only fined £120 and make tens of thousands selling those products it is not much of a deterrent."
