Dogs sniff out £45k of illegal tobacco
POLICE RAIDS FIND ILLICIT CIGSGS HIDDEN IN HOME AND SHOPSS
MORE than £45,000-worth of illegal cigarettes and tobacco was found during raids.
Police, along with Salford council staff, have been targeted homes and businesses across the city over the last three weeks - including in Swinton, Eccles and Little Hulton.
They used sniffer dogs to find hidden items, which were either counterfeit or had no duty paid.
At one point, police searching a home found holdalls and boxes containing nearly 68,000 counterfeit cigarettes - and 153 pouches of hand rolling tobacco.
The haul, with an estimated street value of £40,000, is the single biggest stash of illicit tobacco ever recovered in Salford. In another raid on a shop, officers found dozens of packets of counterfeit cigarettes hidden in a secret compartment behind a shelf full of soft drinks.
They were assisted by Ricco, Lilly, Birch and Billy, sniffer dogs from detection firm Wagtail UK.
Coun David Lancaster slammed anyone taking part in the illegal trade.
“There are no bargains to be had when it comes to illegal tobacco,” he said. “This trade is linked to organised crime gangs who also deal in human trafficking, loan sharking and the drugs trade.
“Illegal tobacco is also robbing the public purse of much needed revenue for vital services including the NHS and these products are often targeted at young people, getting them hooked on smoking and damaging their health.”
In total, police and council officers visited 25 shops and one home.
They seized 4,567 packets containing 91,340 cigarettes and 256 pouches of hand rolling tobacco, all of which were counterfeit or non-duty paid and with an estimated street value of £45,967.
They also seized a further £4,967 in cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act.