Officers and customs officials in North Somerset have seized a significant number of cigarettes, tobacco and other items of an estimated street value of more than £44,000.
This week, officers from North Somerset Council joined Avon and Somerset Police and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customers (HMRC) for Operation Agora, targeting businesses in Weston-super-Mare town centre and Portishead following intelligence that illegal tobacco products were being sold.
Over two days of enforcement activity, Trading Standards officers, supported by specially trained tobacco detection dog Rio (pictured), carried out a number of searches at businesses.
The operation resulted in the seizure of:
- 1,096 packets of cigarettes
- 18.46kg of hand-rolling tobacco
- 1kg of shisha tobacco
- A quantity of illicit vapes
- Unsafe toys that did not meet UK safety requirements
All of the products seized were illegal and are estimated to have a street value of more than £44,000. The loss to legitimate local businesses is estimated at more than £110,000.
The illegal tobacco products had been deliberately concealed in an attempt to evade detection, including being placed in vehicles specially adapted with hiding places - as well as outbuildings attached to the businesses. However, thanks to the detection dog’s specialist training, Rio was able to quickly notify officers, who located the hidden products.
Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council's Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Sport and Pride in Place programme, said: "The sale of illegal tobacco undermines legitimate businesses, funds criminal activity and makes tobacco products more accessible. Operations like this demonstrate the value of working together and we will continue to work closely with Avon and Somerset Police and other partners to disrupt the illegal tobacco trade and protect consumers and honest businesses across North Somerset."
Neighbourhood Sgt Joshua Osborne, who has been involved in the operation, said: “This was a hugely successful operation supported by a number of key agencies targeting businesses which are suspected to be involved in criminality and exploitation. This demonstrates how we continue to work alongside our partners in our communities, to ensure businesses are operating safely, legally, and are not putting members of the public at risk.
“Retailers being involved in criminality is not an issue exclusive to North Somerset, but it is nonetheless a problem we continue to hear concerns about from members of the public, who we urge to continue to report issues like this so we can take the appropriate, robust action needed to bring offenders to justice.”
Ben Hayes, regional lead for tobacco and vapes at Trading Standards South West (TSSW) said: “The operation marked a significant haul and demonstrates just how effective partnership working is. Illegal tobacco is often sold to children at pocket money prices with little regard to age verification. Money generated from these sales is used to fund other criminal activity, which has a negative impact on our community....”