40,000 illegal cigarettes seized in Nuneaton and Rugby

Officers seized goods with a combined illegal value of £12,765 .

Almost 2000 packets of cigarettes and 186 packets of hand-rolling tobacco, that were hidden in shops in Nuneaton and Rugby, have been seized by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards.

Specialist sniffer dogs visited shops earlier this week along with Warwickshire Police and Trading Standards Officers.

Officers seized illegal cigarettes and tobacco, both counterfeit and non-duty paid, with a combined illegal value of £12,765.

If all the goods were genuine they would have been worth approximately £30,000.

Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “I’m delighted that our Trading Standards Officers are working closely with Warwickshire Police to remove illegal cigarettes and tobacco from our streets.

“We know that the sellers of illegal cigarettes sometimes target children and young people, encouraging them to start smoking.

“Organised criminal gangs are behind much of the illegal tobacco trade and the sale of these products funds other criminal activity.”