Cigarettes and rolling tobacco worth around £28,000 were found hidden in drawers in a flat in the town centre last week, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) confirmed.
A ESCC spokesperson said the discovery included 18,500 illegal cigarettes and more than 19kgs of illegal hand-rolling tobacco.
Cllr Rupert Simmons, ESCC’s lead member for economy, said, “This result shows our commitment to ridding the county of illegal tobacco which brings organised crime into our communities, undermines efforts to discourage smoking and encourages tobacco use among young people due to cheaper prices.”
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, Wigan Council’s trading standards team and Leigh neighbourhood policing team discovered more than 10,000 illicit cigarettes worth £3,500 in Leigh town centre shops following anonymous tip-offs from residents.
A council spokesman said: “Illegal tobacco comes with many risks, making it easier for children and young people to buy cigarettes and get hooked on smoking. It is also not regulated so can come with risks to your health.”
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