Illegal tobacco seized in Kent
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14th May 2021
Kent County Council Trading Standards officers, with the support of Kent Police and immigrations teams, have targeted illicit tobacco sellers in Margate and Ramsgate.
Operation CeCe – a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco – revisited premises previously identified as selling illicit tobacco were revisited this week, resulting in 724 packs of cigarettes and 8kg of hand-rolling tobacco seized from four shops on Tuesday (11 May) and a further 169 packets of cigarettes and 5kg of hand-rolling tobacco seized from three shops on Wednesday (12 May).
In addition, the Immigration Service will be issuing fines to two workers and one shop was requested to shut as it was being staffed by individuals without the appropriate work status. About £1,500, believed to be the proceeds of crime, was seized by Kent Police.