Large haul of illegal tobacco seized in raids

Trading standards officials said they had seized more than £140,000 worth of illicit tobacco

More than £140,000 worth of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes have been seized from shops in Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

North East Lincolnshire Council's trading standards team, working with Humberside Police, confiscated the counterfeit products from several premises during an operation on 21 March.

The haul included more than 90,000 cigarettes, 44lbs (20kg) of tobacco and 4,800 illegal vapes.

The raids were part of an ongoing operation targeting counterfeit and illicit cigarettes, the council said.

Illegal tobacco products were found in hidden compartments after a search involving dogs

Officers raided premises in Pasture Street and Cross Coates Road in Grimsby and Cross Street and High Street in Cleethorpes.

A number of the stores were found to have hidden storage areas which were forced open by officers following their discovery by search dogs, trading standards said.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer communities, said: "Multi-agency operations such as these are keeping these products, that do not meet safety standards and are putting lives at risk, off the streets.

"When you buy these products, you could be putting your own health at risk. Not only has no duty been paid on them but they've not been tested to ensure they're safe."

Nearly £2.2m worth of illicit tobacco products have been seized in North East Lincolnshire since 2021, trading standards officers said.

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