Illegal tobacco and vapes worth £1.6 million seized in Lancashire

Huge amounts of counterfeit and illicit vapes, cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco cigarettes worth over £1.6million were seized in Lancashire late last month.

In one of the biggest Trading Standards seizures in Hyndburn to date, around 100,000 packs of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, and hundreds of illegal non-regulation vapes, with a combined retail value of over £1.6million, were seized on 30 October in a joint operation with HMRC and Lancashire Constabulary from an empty trade premises next to a shop in Oswaldtwistle.

Counterfeit brands included Richmond, Benson and Hedges, and Lambert and Butler, as well as less familiar brands such as Manchester & Sovereign. Packaging used to manufacture counterfeit cigarettes was also seized.

Less than a week later, a sniffer dog has hunted down thousands of hidden illegal vapes and cigarettes as part of a crackdown at shops across Preston, in which the Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards team joined forces with HMRC and tobacco detection dog, Sky, a working cocker spaniel from Wagtail UK, whose canines are trained to sniff out hidden compartments of tobacco, vapes and money.

She sniffed out illicit goods at all seven city centre premises that they visited and even indicated that there was tobacco behind a false wall, which officers broke open to find the goods inside.

Stashes of cannabis, together with illegal prescription drugs and antibiotics were also seized. Hiding places included hidden compartments and in backyards, while one trader threw suitcases full of tobacco on the roof to try to evade detection.

A total of 1,642 packs of illegal tobacco and 651 non-compliant vapes were seized during the operation on 25 October with five of the businesses in the New Hall Lane and Friargate areas.

Investigations are now ongoing, the council added.

“Our Trading Standards team go above and beyond in their pursuit of illegal vapes and cigarettes, with unbelievable outcomes,” Cllr Michael Green, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Lancashire County Council said.

"Hiring sniffer dog Sky, who did a very thorough job, was a fantastic way of protecting residents from unsafe goods from unscrupulous traders. With the help of partners such as Wagtail UK, HMRC and the police, we can tackle rogue traders and find hidden illicit goods.”