Thousands of illicit cigarettes and vapes seized in Wolverhampton
Trading Standards have been targeting premises across the city
Action will now be taken as thousands of counterfeit cigarettes and a range of vapes and tobacco products have been seized by City of Wolverhampton Council.
Trading Standards targeted premises across the city where illicit goods were believed to be on sale.
Specially trained detection dog Cooper from B.W.Y Canine Ltd helped sniff out some of the illegal tobacco products. In total more than 17,500 cigarettes, 744 vapes, 200g of Shisha and 2.1 kilo of hand rolling tobacco were found.
In one city business, Cooper identified a stash of illicit cigarettes found in a specially-created sliding shelving unit hidden behind a wall.
Other items were discovered under counters and in one premises, under beds. Officers also found evidence of the illegal sales of single cigarettes.
The estimated retail value of the cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco seized, if genuine, would be £14,640. The value of the vapes seized is around £7,440 and the duty evaded for cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco would come to more than £8,500.
Action will now be taken against the owners of premises where the material was seized while further investigations will be carried out to identify their suppliers.
Once investigations have been completed, the illegal cigarettes and tobacco will be handed over to a recycling scheme to be dealt with in an environmentally friendly way.