More than 11,000 packs of illegal cigarettes, 150kg of counterfeit hand-rolling tobacco and over 1,300 illegal vapes have been seized in a major enforcement operation targeting illicit tobacco across Stoke-on-Trent.
The intelligence-led operation, carried out on 11 June under the national Operation CeCe initiative, saw Stoke-on-Trent City Council's trading standards team work alongside Staffordshire Police and a specialist tobacco detection dog from Wagtail UK Ltd.
Officers searched a number of retail premises and self-storage units across the city, uncovering concealed illegal tobacco in a shop as well as significant quantities stored in two self-storage units.
The latest seizure forms part of the council's wider efforts to tackle the illegal tobacco trade, with trading standards officers having confiscated more than £300,000 worth of illicit tobacco and vapes since the start of 2026.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride and enforcement, said the operation highlighted the value of partnership working and intelligence from local communities.
“Illegal tobacco harms legitimate business and can be linked to wider criminal activity – those storing and selling it will face serious consequences,” he said. “We are committed to making Stoke-on-Trent a fairer, safer city for all.”
The crackdown was carried out under Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative delivered in partnership with HM Revenue & Customs to disrupt the supply of illegal tobacco products across the UK.
“The illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses serious risks to local communities, especially young people,” Lord Michael Bichard, chair of National Trading Standards, said.
Since the initiative launched in January 2021, Operation CeCe has removed more than 102 million illegal cigarettes, 20,550kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale across the UK, according to National Trading Standards.