Stubbing Out Illegal Tobacco Sales In Denbighshire

A joint operation to disrupt the sale and supply of illegal tobacco within Denbighshire has been conducted by officers of Denbighshire Trading Standards and North Wales Police, leading to the seizure of a large quantity of suspected illegal tobacco in the County. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The team were supported by the use of two tobacco detection dogs provided by Wagtail UK Ltd, the dogs helped locate concealed stashes at the premises. The haul includes cigarettes and tobacco and is thought to be a combination of counterfeit, illicit whites and smuggled. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The search was organised following complaints and intelligence received from members of the public and other agencies who had also received complaints, or witnessed activities on-going at this particular premises. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All goods seized will now be sent to the relevant trade mark holders for inspection and testing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Current controls in relation to tobacco sales are undermined by illegal sellers. The availability of illegal tobacco bears no restrictions therefore it is accessible to children, there will be no taxation paid and sales will not conform to the point of sale display bans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor David Smith, Denbighshire’s Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said “This raid was carried out as part of an on-going operation in the County, Trading Standards work hard to ensure all businesses operate on a level playing field and will continue to all efforts to stamp out any illegal activity” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Inspector Alwyn Williams of North Wales Police said “The concern around illegal trading has been raised to us as a partnership from the community, this is a positive step in a joint working operation to tackle the illegal trade activity which affects the community as a whole“ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you want to report the sale of illegal tobacco in Denbighshire, please contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506, or 03454 04 05 05 for the Welsh language line. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Reports can be made anonymously and a referral will be made to officers of the relevant department. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​