£1m illegal goods raid in Derbyshire 'one of UK's biggest'
- Published
The Viagra-type tablets that were seized in the raids are thought to be worth £155,000
Illegal goods worth at least £1m - including 31,000 Viagra-type tablets - have been seized in one of the UK's biggest trading standards hauls.
Police and trading standards officers inspected six units in a self-storage site in South Derbyshire.
They uncovered almost two million illegal cigarettes, counterfeit clothing and boxes of illegally stored display fireworks.
The county council said the seizure was "one of the biggest in the UK".
Councillor Dave Allen, cabinet member for health and communities for Derbyshire County Council, said the two-day operation follows a "concerted campaign" by officers over two years.
Trading standards officers said the raids across Derbyshire were carried out over two days
"This is one of the biggest single seizures of fake and illicit tobacco by trading standards officers in the UK," he said.
"It's an extremely important result which has kept 92,000 packets of illegal cigarettes and 11,000 packs of hand rolling tobacco off the streets of Derbyshire."
Officers also raided shops in Long Eaton, Newhall, Ripley and two in Ilkeston during the raids.
They seized an additional 10,000 cigarettes and 15kg (33lbs) of hand rolling tobacco - mostly hidden in concealed panels.
One man from Derby has been questioned and bailed in connection with the seizure, and officers say several other enquiries are ongoing.
Mr Allen said: "This sends a clear message to illegitimate traders that we are clamping down on this and they will not get away with it."