A crackdown on illegal cigarettes and other goods
THOUSANDS of illicit cigarettes were seized in County Durham as part of a crackdown on illegal goods.
Durham County Council’s trading standards officer seized a total of 14,890 cigarettes and 41.5kg of hand rolling tobacco in 14 targeted operations in the last financial year.
In the same period in relation to illicit tobacco, one custodial sentence totalling 30 months was imposed by a court in addition to other successful prosecutions by the council and the issuing of cautions, while £37,000 was confiscated in two incidents under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The local authority’s cabinet committee will also hear how trading standards works with the harm reduction unit in responding to allegations of underage sales from licensed retail premises.
In response to complaints or intelligence, a total of 46 test purchases were attempted in relation to alcohol. The report sets out how seven premises were subject to reviews of their licence by the council as a consequence, with tougher conditions being imposed on four.
A further 15 test purchases were carried out in relation to tobacco, eight in relation to e-cigarettes and nicotine-inhaling products, and six in relation to fireworks.
The report also covers how the
council supported the relaunch of the Keep it Out campaign to raise awareness of the harms of illegal tobacco, particularly in relation to its availability to young people.
The cabinet will be told that the enforcement programme for 2020/2021 involves continuing an intelligence-led approach to underage sales enforcement and illegal tobacco, delivering enforcement where possible; and working in partnership with enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt the involvement of organised criminality in the illicit tobacco supply chain.
The programme also entails continuing to work with the harm reduction unit and other agencies to solve problems associated with the accessibility and misuse of agerestricted products; and with partners to tackle sales from private premises to children, particularly in relation to alcohol and tobacco.
It also involves continuing to review the licences of premises which sell alcohol to the underaged; and tackling health inequalities and anti-social behaviour associated with the misuse and illegal supply of age-restricted products, in particular alcohol and tobacco.
Coun Brian Stephens, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and partnerships, said: “We are committed to doing everything we can with our partners to tackle the supply and misuse of illicit tobacco, alcohol and other such products in County Durham. “Such items can be very damaging to people’s health as well as having links to organised crime. That is why we adopt a zero-tolerance approach, whether that be prosecutions or reviewing the licences of premises. “Underage sales put at risk our young people whose health and wellbeing is a key priority for us. We are doing everything we can to protect them and the number of test purchases we have carried out is proof of that. “We are committed to continuing our enforcement approach and working with partners to keep residents safe.” Ailsa Rutter OBE, director of Fresh NE, said: “Local authorities such as Durham County Council play a hugely important role in addressing issues like illegal tobacco and underage sales as part of broader efforts to reduce smoking rates, and we welcome this enforcement plan.” Report illegal tobacco dealers anonymously at https://keep-it-out.