The Western Exploitation team joined Trading Standards in an operation targeting stores in Mid-Cheshire linked to immigration crime, seizing a large quantity of illegal tobacco, vapes and cigarettes in the process, Cheshire Constabulary reported on Friday (Oct 3).
During the day of operation activity on Sept 22, the team were joined by officers from Cheshire West and Chester Trading Standards visited five commercial properties in Northwich and Winsford.
Officers were supported by a specialist police dog, who helped to find a large quantity of illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes, which were hidden in a number of sophisticated concealments.
The products that were found during the operation were being sold to the stores in large quantities and were, in turn, being sold on at half the price of genuine tobacco-products.
In total, officers found:
• 29,540 fake/illegal cigarettes
• 4.65 kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco
• 837 illegal vapes
Detective Sergeant Paul Huxley, of the Western Exploitation Team, said, “The operation demonstrates our commitment to protecting victims of modern-day slavery and immigration crime by making Cheshire a hostile environment for offenders looking to commit organised immigration crime in our region.
"I hope this operation highlights to members of the public the volume of work that goes into keeping our residents safe from those who are intent on causing risk and harm to our communities.”
Elsewhere, Sutton Council's Trading Standards team, assisted by the Metropolitan Police, has successfully secured a court order to close a commercial premises in Carshalton.
The closure order was granted on 5 September at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, marking a significant step in the Council's commitment to enforcing trading standards and protecting the public.
This action, the first of its kind in Sutton against a shop for the sale of illegal goods, aims to prevent further offences and support legitimate local businesses. A key objective of the operation was to curb the illegal sale of banned vapes and counterfeit consumer goods within the community.
On Thursday 4 September, the Council’s trading standards team, accompanied by police officers, discovered a wide array of non-compliant and unsafe products at Euro Mini Market, located at 396 Green Wrythe Lane, Carshalton. These items included single-use vapes, which are now banned by law, as well as cosmetics, counterfeit "Labubu Dolls," unsafe gas lighters, and electrical travel adaptors.
Following the seizure of all illegal items, a Closure Notice was served and prominently displayed at the premises. The closure is a result of thorough investigations by the Council’s trading standards team, which included test purchases and previous seizures of illegal products.
Councillor Jake Short, Chair of Sutton Council’s Housing, Economy and Business Committee, said, "Securing this closure order sends a powerful message - we will not tolerate the sale of illegal goods in Sutton.
“These products are a danger to our residents' health and they hurt our honest businesses. It is clear that in spite of a warning to the business and subsequent inspections, the business had no intention of changing their practices.
“We will continue to work closely with partners, businesses and freeholders to keep our community safe and ensure fair trading for everyone.”
The Closure Order remains in effect until 23:59 on 4 December 2025, and the investigation is ongoing.