The clampdown on the illegal tobacco trade continues to gather momentum, with major enforcement actions reported in Milton Keynes, Luton and Bradford over the past two months.
In Milton Keynes, more than £23,000 worth of illegal tobacco and vapes were seized from two Bletchley premises as part of a UK-wide enforcement initiative targeting illicit trade.
The operation led by Milton Keynes Trading Standards is part of a UK-wide initiative. The city council worked with Thames Valley Police, The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, HM Revenue and Customs, Immigration Enforcement, and the Department for Work and Pensions, with a specialist tobacco detection dog assisting officers in searching two premises on Queensway.
In total, officers seized, 24,000 illegal cigarettes worth around £22,000, 43 packs of hand-rolling tobacco worth £1,800 and 356 illegal vapes.
Cabinet Member for Regulatory Affairs, Cllr Mick Legg, said, “Illegal tobacco isn’t just a cheap alternative, it’s a serious threat to public health and can be linked to organised crime.
"This operation shows that we’re committed to working with partners to keep our communities safe and supporting honest businesses. My thanks go out to colleagues for this important work keeping everyone safe.”
Elsewhere, it has been a busy couple of months for Luton Trading Standards who continue to clamp down on those who sell illicit vapes, cigarettes and tobacco.
Several Luton retailers faced prosecution in September and October following Trading Standards enforcement against illegal tobacco and vape sales.
Mini Luton Grocery owner Nashwan Hwshyar, 23, was found guilty of 10 offences for selling illicit cigarettes and received a 12-month community order, 180 hours unpaid work and £3,500 in costs.
Vapex owner Ashok Deb, 24, was fined £120 for selling a vape to a 15-year-old.
Henar Mini Market owner Ahmed Mahmoodi Ahmad, 38, admitted six charges and was handed a community order and £1,513 in costs. Sadiya Store Ltd owner Muklesur Rahman, 46, pleaded guilty to nine offences and was fined £9,000.
A-Z Flavourz and directors Minhaz and Musaddiq Miah were fined a total of £16,000, with both brothers receiving community orders. One Stop Shop owner Mehboob Ahmed, 72, was fined £1,076, and European Market Luton Ltd and its director Reben Shika, 35, were fined £2,000.
Meanwhile, Doina in Wellington Street was ordered to close for three months for repeated breaches.
Councillor Maria Lovell praised Trading Standards for “tackling businesses who flout the law and sell illegal and dangerous products.”
Meanwhile, a Bradford shopkeeper who was caught selling counterfeit and smuggled tobacco products has been ordered to repay almost £73,000 by a judge at Bradford Crown Court.
Kamran Khan was first caught selling illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco at Kamran Food Store in St Stephen’s Road, Little Horton, in August 2017.
He had 242 illegal packets of cigarettes and 21 illegal packs of hand rolling tobacco in his storeroom when Trading Standards officers began an investigation after a test purchase officer had visited the store.
In Solihull, Khyber Shop 20 has been ordered to remain shut after the business was found selling illegal tobacco and vapes.
The closure order was granted under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime, and Policing Act 2014. It follows several operations that were carried out by staff at Solihull Council’s Regulatory Services Team in response to earlier complaints made to the Council regarding the sale of illegal goods.
The team seized 1560 packets of illegal cigarettes, 79 packets of hand rolling tobacco and 1219 illegal vapes, as well as further illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes found at another visit.
The series of prosecutions underline an intensified national focus on rooting out the illegal tobacco and vape trade, which continues to undermine legitimate retailers and pose significant public health risks.