Thousands of illegal cigarettes and vapes seized

Trading Standards officers raided five shops in Stoke-on-Trent

Illegal cigarettes and vapes worth thousands of pounds have been seized after shops were raided by authorities in Stoke-on-Trent.

Trading Standards officers from the city council and Staffordshire County Council recovered 25,000 cigarettes, 2,350 vapes and 7.5kg of tobacco from five stores on Wednesday.

The cigarettes and tobacco had a retail value of about £20,000, while the vapes were worth £30,000, Stoke-on-Trent City Council said.

The authority added that four of the shops would be issued with 48-hour closure notices and criminal investigations were under way.

The raids came after test purchases were carried out over the last few months that showed counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco were being sold.

Officers were also able to buy vapes that had incorrect labels and tanks greater than the maximum permitted size, a city council spokesperson said.

Councillor Amjid Wazir, deputy leader at the authority, said: “Illegal tobacco and vape sales affect the trade of legitimate businesses in our city and put consumers in danger.

“It won’t be tolerated. When we have the evidence, we will always take action against businesses who sell illegal goods in Stoke-on-Trent.”

'Real result'

Victoria Wilson, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Staffordshire County Council, said: “The trade in illicit tobacco and vapes is closely linked to organised crime and is harmful to our health, particularly young people’s health.

“Removing these from the streets is a real result. Not only does the trade put money in criminals’ pockets but it also harms our local communities and legitimate businesses.”