Trading Standards officers seize vehicle containing thousands of illegal tobacco products

In total 7,540 counterfeit cigarettes and 74 packs of illegal hand-rolling tobacco were seized, with an estimated value of £7,875. The illegal goods were discovered in a car that was linked to the premises that trading standards officers were visiting to carry out test purchases.

This latest seizure brings the total value of illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vape products seized by the council’s trading standards team to over one million pounds since October 2023.

The counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were brand new, packaged and ready to be sold. Officers suspected they were fake due to their low price point, with the hand-rolling tobacco being offered for sale at £7 per pack compared to around £30 for a genuine product. The cigarettes were also in blue packaging rather plain olive packaging that all legal tobacco must be sold in in the UK. The goods that were seized have now been sent for further testing to confirm what they contain.

Councillor Jody Stoll, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Seizing these illegal tobacco products and taking them off the market is an excellent result for our officers and means that thousands of counterfeit cigarettes have been removed from the black market. Illegal tobacco products are not only dangerous to people’s health, but they also harm the local economy, as the sellers often undercut legitimate traders and avoid paying tax to fund vital public services.

This latest action from our trading standards team sends a strong message to Nottinghamshire traders that we will not tolerate the sale of illegal tobacco or illicit vapes in our community. We stand firm in our commitment to protect public health and safety, and our officers will continue to crack down on those unscrupulous traders who are attempting to sell counterfeit goods in the county."

Spotting illegal tobacco products can be difficult, but things residents should look out for include cheap prices, bright and colourful packaging, spelling mistakes, modified logos or an unusual taste. In addition, legal tobacco is only sold in plain olive packaging. Legal cigarettes have a minimum pack size of 20 and hand rolling tobacco must be sold in at least 30g pouches.

If residents see any tobacco products or vapes being sold to people who they believe are under 18, or they believe a business is selling unregulated products, they can report this to Trading Standards by contacting the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. Suspicions about illegal tobacco sales can also be reported anonymously to the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Smoking and Tobacco Alliance via its website: Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Smoking and Tobacco Alliance - Report Illegal Tobacco Sales.