Specialist detection dogs helped seize more than £100,000 worth of illicit tobacco and vapes from eight retail premises in Lancashire, as enforcement against rogue retailers intensifies amid tougher national sanctions.
Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards team, working alongside Pendle Police and detection dogs from Wagtail UK, carried out a targeted day of action on 11 February across Nelson and Colne.
The operation uncovered more than 12,000 packs of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, along with £3,000 in cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The products, which included counterfeit and unregistered brands, were often hidden in concealed compartments and featured banned colourful packaging and foreign health warnings.
The two dogs involved in the operation – Hugo, a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel, and Ziggy, a four-year-old Springer Spaniel – are trained to detect tobacco, vapes and cash concealed in retail premises.
Lancashire County Council said tackling illicit tobacco and vape sales remains a key priority. Between January 2025 and January 2026, Trading Standards officers confiscated more than 57,000 packs of illicit tobacco and cigarettes and over 27,000 illegal vapes in 300 seizures across 162 shops.
Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for rural affairs, environment and communities at Lancashire County Council, said the latest haul highlighted the scale of the illegal market.
“We are delighted that these incredible tobacco detection dogs, Hugo and Ziggy, were able to track down hidden stashes of tobacco and vapes worth over £100,000,” he said.
“The number of seizures and clever hiding places that our officers were able to discover on one single day of action shows what they are dealing with and the high value of the illegal trade in tobacco.
“We want to send a very clear message to unscrupulous retailers that we will take the strongest action to remove illegal products from our high streets.”
The crackdown comes as a new joint enforcement approach between National Trading Standards (NTS), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and local Trading Standards teams has already resulted in more than £1.4 million in civil penalties for illicit tobacco offences since late 2023.