Illegal cigs worth £50k seized in raid
TRADING STANDARDS AND POLICE SWOOP ON THREE SHOPS AS PROBE CONTINUES
TENS of thousands of illegal cigarettes and tobacco worth around £50,000 have been seized in raids by police and trading standards officers in Oldham.
Council workers, supported by Greater Manchester Police, visited three shops in the town on Saturday, December 5.
Tobacco which was either suspected of being counterfeit, or labelled not for the UK market, was discovered at premises on Yorkshire Street, Park Road and Hollins Road.
In total 31,600 cigarettes and 12.5kg of rolling tobacco was seized from the three shops by officers.
If sold, the haul was estimated to be worth around £50,000 according to town hall chiefs.
The council says that an investigation is now ongoing by Trading Standards in relation to those responsible.
Councillor Barbara Brownridge, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and culture, said: “This is a good piece of work as the products should not have been on sale.
“We’d always encourage people not to smoke. But if you do buy counterfeit or illegal tobacco it can contain other products harmful to health.” GMP Oldham tweeted that it was a ‘great example of Trading Standards and the police working together’. Bosses warn that if the labelling on any tobacco purchased is incorrect then it is probably illegal. The authority says that people can report suppliers who ‘break the law and place the public’s health at risk’ by contacting the illegal tobacco hotline on 0300 999 0000 or online at www. keep-it-out.co.uk.
If you do buy counterfeit or illegal tobacco it can contain products harmful to health Councillor Barbara Brownridge