City suburb shop raids uncover £83k illegal goods

Numerous boxes of cigarettes and tobacco pouches were seized in the raids

Illegal goods valued at about £83,000 have been seized in a series of police and trading standards raids on shops in a Leeds suburb.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Trading Standards seized 3,000 boxes of cigarettes as part of the operation in Armley last week.

Hundreds of tobacco pouches and more than 600 oversized vapes were found as well as single-use vapes and stolen alcohol.

Sgt Steve Ellis, from West Yorkshire Police, said: "We know that the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is often linked to anti-social behaviour and crime and it is especially concerning when these items are suspected of being sold to children."

The illicit products are often stashed away from public view

Sgt Ellis said money from selling illicit goods can be used to fund serious and organised crime.

"It is vital we continue to do all we can to take them off the streets," he added.

Earlier this month a Leeds city centre shop was given a six-week closure order after illegal cigarettes and vapes valued at £5,000 were seized.

The illicit tobacco trade involves a range of tobacco products being sold illegally, often to underage users, without paying taxes, a HM Revenue & Customs spokesperson said.

"It provides a cheap and unregulated supply of tobacco to those who might otherwise be deterred by cost," they added.

As part of the police and trading standards operation, which aims to improve safety in town centres, a 43-year-old woman from Bramley was given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on 14 July which prevents her from entering six shops around Leeds.

Joanne Briscoe, of Poplar Way, was convicted of theft from a shop on 18 June and will no longer be able to enter the following stores:

• Savers on Town Street, Armley

• Aldi on Stanningley Road

• Tesco in Bramley Shopping Centre

• Sainsburys on Ring Road

• One Stop on Whingate

• Home Bargains on Stanningley Road