Illegal vapes stored under 'rotting waste' in bins

Trading Standards officers found the vapes and tobacco under "rotting waste"

Illegal vapes and tobacco worth more than £12,000 were stored under "rotting waste" in wheelie bins, Trading Standards officers found.

The officials seized 685 packs of cigarettes, 24 packs of hand-rolling tobacco and 83 illegal vapes from bins outside a shop in Darlington.

Cleveland Police informed Darlington Borough Council after spotting a shop worker removing tobacco from the bins where it was being used as off-site storage.

Darlington neighbourhood inspector David Littlefair said the force was "grateful" to residents who came forward with "valuable pieces of information to help tackle this issue".

Trading Standards officers seized 685 packs of cigarettes, 24 packs of hand-rolling tobacco and 83 illegal vapes

The items were being stored under household waste.

Darlington Borough Council's Trading Standards manager Shaun Trevor said: "On opening the bin there was a strong smell of rotting waste and a large quantity of bags with illegal vapes and cigarettes.

"I don't think customers would be happy seeing how these were being stored."

Councillor Jim Garner encouraged residents to report any concerns about suspected illegal products to the authority.