Lancashire Police seized illicit cigarettes and vapes valued at nearly £200,000 in October as part of its proactive operations to target businesses flouting the law across Lancashire.
As part of Operation Wanderstar, the authorities have visited 22 premises seizing thousands of pounds in cash, seized counterfeit cash, frozen a bank accounts suspected of being used for money laundering and temporarily closed three businesses linked to the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes.
Six arrests have been made for various offences.
Working with teams from Lancashire Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement, the Economic Crime Unit (ECU) and local neighbourhood policing teams executed warrants at businesses in Nelson, Blackburn, Oswaldtwistle, Lancaster, Morecambe and Preston throughout this month.
The illegal products were seized from American Sweet Shop, Armico News, Kofland, Swojska Chata, Avon Convenience Store in Nelson.
Temporary closure orders were served at The Best-One in Barkerhouse Road, Nelson and Tymbark on Colne Road, Brierfield. A warrant was executed at Ossy Mini Market in Oswaldtwistle, and at an adjoining premises. At total of 690 cartons of illicit tobacco products value £12,000 were seized
·A search warrant was executed at 7 Days Blackburn Ltd on Railway Road, Blackburn. A total of 14,000 packets of illegal / counterfeit cigarettes and 3 Kg illicit tobacco value £15,000 were seized, some which had been hidden behind kickboards at the front of the shop.
Other stores which came under radar were Lancaster Halal on Rosemary Lane, The Beer Store in Lancaster, Preston Saver in Preston and Ezee Shop in Preston.
Operation Wanderstar comes under the banner of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Machinize - a national campaign aimed at the disruption of cash being laundered in the UK.
DI Libby Wadsworth, of our ECU, said: “This work is about targeting those businesses who seek to flout the law for their own financial gain. Not only are they harming legitimate businesses, they are also putting their customers at risk by trying to pass off inferior products as the real thing.
“The ECU alongside our NHP teams have been working with our partners at Lancashire Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement were we have taken significant action to disrupt this illegal activity across the county.
"This work will continue and if you have any concerns about illegal activity in your area, report it to the police and we will take the appropriate action.”
Councillor Joshua Roberts, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities, said: "Our hard-working Trading Standards team joined forces with Lancashire Police as part of Operation Wanderstar, which cracks down on firms flouting the law across the county.
"Action was taken at 22 businesses across Nelson, Blackburn, Oswaldtwistle, Lancaster, Morecambe and Preston and illicit cigarettes and vapes worth almost £200,000 were seized.
"This sends out a very strong message that we will continue to work with partners to take robust enforcement action against traders who continue to break the law."