A JOINT operation has seen 90,000 illegal cigarettes and 26.5kgs of hand rolling tobacco seized this week.
The swoop was made on four premises by West Yorkshire Trading Standards, West Yorkshire Police from Heckmondwike, Dewsbury and Huddersfield neighbourhood policing teams, and Kirklees Council Licensing team. They were targeting dealers of cheap and illicit tobacco.
If genuine, the value of the cigarettes seized would be over £55,000 with a loss of duty to the tax payer of almost £35,000. A large quantity of cash was also seized by the police, believed to be the proceeds of crime from the sales of illicit tobacco.
Four premises were visited in which illegal practices were taking place. The premises were identified from intelligence and complaints passed to West Yorkshire Trading Standards by members of the public and partner agencies.