Police seize more than £12,000 worth of illegal tobacco from Gloucester flat

Trading standards were alerted after concerns within the local community

Author: Ashton KirbyPublished 23rd Oct 2023

Illegal tobacco worth £12,500 has been seized from a flat in Gloucester.

Trading standard officers from Gloucestershire County Council executed a warrant alongside police after locals raised their concerns.

Entering the property, they seized 2,284 pack of illegal cigarettes and 117 pouches of illegal hand rolling tobacco.

Gloucestershire Police also seized a sum of cash.

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member for trading standards at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “Illegal tobacco harms the trade of legitimate suppliers and poses a risk to public health.

"This seizure shows that our trading standards team will work tirelessly to keep these harmful products off the streets and we are grateful to the community for information they pass to us.

“I would like to thank our Gloucestershire Constabulary colleagues for their help in this investigation and we will continue to work closely together to ensure these is no hiding place for anyone trying to sell illegal tobacco.”

Inspector Ash Gardner, from the Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was a great example of multi-agency work, supporting Trading Standards in their seizure of illegal tobacco.

“We will continue to work with our partners in the city to ensure that people feel safe in their communities.”

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