Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Operation CeCe leads to haul of millions of illegal tobacco products from retail premises

Operation CeCe leads to haul of millions of illegal tobacco products from retail premises

More than five million illegal cigarettes have been seized from local retail outlets in the first six months of the year as part of Operation CeCe, a joint initiative between National Trading Standards (NTS) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tackle the illegal tobacco trade.

The haul of illicit products also includes more than 1,700kg of hand rolled tobacco and 66kg of shisha. In total, more than £2.7 million worth of illegal tobacco products have been taken off streets across England and Wales since the operation launched in January 2021.


“This operation marks the first collaboration between National Trading Standards and HMRC, and I am delighted that the first six months have been hugely successful in removing a significant amount of illegal tobacco products off our streets and disrupting this illicit trade,” Wendy Martin, Director, National Trading Standards, said.

Operation CeCe is part of a wider government strategy to disrupt every aspect of the illegal tobacco market, from front-line retailers to global organised crime groups who drive the illicit trade, smuggling tobacco internationally on a grand scale.

Simon York, Director of Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Operation CeCe shows our determination to tackle the menace of illicit tobacco. This is a trade that costs the UK taxpayer around £2.3 billion a year, undermining our vital public services and bankrolling a host of other crimes that harm communities, including guns, drugs and human trafficking.

“Those involved readily undercut legitimate businesses and don’t care who they sell to, including children. HMRC and Trading Standards are determined to stamp out the illicit tobacco trade, as these results clearly show.”

In London, Operation CeCe has seen almost 300,000 illegal cigarettes and 90kg of hand rolling tobacco seized in recent months.

In the last four months officers have confiscated tobacco products with a market value of £226,800 – a street value of £108,000.

“We had a great success with a recent seizure in Croydon, which saw 175,000 cigarettes confiscated with a market value of £105,000 and a street value of £65,625. Officers also seized hand rolling tobacco with a market value of £1,794 and street value of £690,” Cenred Elworthy, London Trading Standards manager, said.

Operation CeCe focuses local disruption activity including the seizure of products at local retail premises, working closely with tobacco detection dog teams and test purchasers to target those who supply these products.

In the most recent raid Barking and Dagenham Council’s Trading Standards team seized more than 12,000 illicit cigarettes from six businesses.

During the operation on 8 October, officers recovered Eastern European tobacco from three shops following intelligence and test purchasing. All of the cigarettes seized were duty avoided, not in plain packaging and not labelled with statutory health warnings.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety who joined in the operation, said: “Operations like these not only ensure that businesses in the borough are operating on the right side of the law, but also protect the health of our residents.

“The operation was a huge success with thousands of illegal cigarettes taken off our streets. I would like to thank all officers involved.”

The operation was supported by BWY Canine, who provided six specialist sniffer dogs to help locate the illegal cigarettes and tobacco.

The three guilty premises were cautioned and questioned during the raid and will now face further investigation.

Operation CeCe runs for a period of 15 months across England and Wales.

More for you

Nothing is more important than your Mental Elf

Nothing is more important than your Mental Elf

Lancashire Mind’s 11th Mental Elf fun run was its biggest and best yet – a sell-out event with more than 400 people running and walking in aid of the mental charity, plus dozens more volunteering to make the day a huge success.

The winter sun shone on Worden Park in Leyland as families gathered for either a 5K course, a 2K run, or a Challenge Yours’Elf distance which saw many people running 10K with the usual running gear replaced with jazzy elf leggings, tinsel and Christmas hats.

Keep ReadingShow less
A woman walks past a window display promoting an ongoing sale

A woman walks past a window display promoting an ongoing sale, on December 13, 2024 in London, England.

Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images

Retail sales disappoint before Christmas

UK retail sales rose less than expected in the runup to Christmas, according to official data Friday that deals a fresh blow to government hopes of growing the economy.

Separate figures revealed a temporary reprieve for prime minister Keir Starmer, however, as public borrowing fell sharply in November.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sybren Attema, and Betty Eekchaut

Presidents Sybren Attema, FrieslandCampina, and Betty Eekchaut, Milcobel

Yazoo parent FrieslandCampina announces merger with Belgian rival Milcobel

Dutch dairy collective FrieslandCampina has agreed to merge with smaller Belgian rival Milcobel, creating a leading dairy cooperative.

FrieslandCampina, whose brands include Yazoo and Chocomel, said the merger will provide the foundation for a future-oriented organisation that has dairy front and centre for member dairy farmers, employees, consumers, and customers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Retail Shoplifting. Man Stealing In Supermarket
Photo: iStock

Home Office reaffirms commitment to abolish £200 shoplifting threshold

The UK government has pledged stronger measures to combat anti-social behaviour and shoplifting, which it acknowledges as serious crimes that disrupt communities and harm businesses.

Addressing a House of Lords debate on Monday, Home Office minister Lord Hanson detailed plans to abolish the controversial £200 shoplifting threshold and to introduce a new offence for assaults on retail workers.

Keep ReadingShow less
post office store
Photo: Post Office Ltd

Post Office launches wellbeing hub to support postmasters amid rising retail crime

In response to the mounting pressures faced by postmasters across the UK, the Post Office has unveiled a centralised wellbeing platform aimed at simplifying access to support resources.

Post Office said the surge in shoplifting and violent incidents, documented in the 2024 ACS Crime Report, has only intensified the demand for comprehensive support.

Keep ReadingShow less