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.
Illegal tobacco seized in Bradford Print
29th January 2021
An operation between West Yorkshire Trading Standards and West Yorkshire Police has resulted in a seizure of 125,000 cigarettes and 4.9kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
The Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health Programme, funded by the five Public Health departments, uses multi-agency enforcement and community marketing campaigns to tackle the problems of the illicit trade.
Two 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.
Illicit tobacco was hidden behind the counter, among food on the shelves, and in a cellar outside the shop. Some of the tobacco products were counterfeit, did not bear the statutory health warnings, were not in standardised packaging, and were non-duty paid. If genuine, the value of the cigarettes seized would be more than £60,00
Thousands of illegal cigarettes were seized A MAJOR operation in Bradford targeting dealers of cheap and illicit tobacco saw more than 210,000 cigarettes seized. Police from the Bradford West and East areas and West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS) swooped on premises in the city as part of the operation. If genuine, the value of the cigarettes seized would be over £100,000, with a loss of duty to the taxpayer of more than £60,000. A large quantity of cash was also seized, believed to be the proceeds of crime from the sales of illicit tobacco. A WYTS spokesperson said: A total of four premises were visited across Bradford in which illegal practices were taking place.