Illegal tobacco products worth hundreds of thousands of pounds seized

Illegal tobacco and vapes worth an estimated £200,000 have been seized in an enforcement operation In Dunstable.

It involved officers from Bedfordshire Police, Central Bedfordshire Trading Standards and HMRC following intelligence that illicit tobacco products were being sold from a shop on the High Street. The officers were assisted by a specially trained dog, Leo.

A search revealed a tobacco distribution hub, with 15,000 packets of cigarettes, 565 tobacco pouches and 345 disposable vapes.

Inspector Grant Maxted of Bedfordshire Police said: “This was a well-planned team operation, and we will continue to work closely with partners, including local authorities and Trading Standards, to target offenders and disrupt this type of crime and keep our communities safe.

“Our Safer Streets Summer policing plan is all about working together to make communities safer and this is a real example of it working well.

"The discovery of this distribution hub and subsequent seizure will have a profound impact of the local supply of illicit tobacco.

“This type of crime hits retailers hard, which in turn drives up costs that ultimately get passed on to us as the customers.

“This operation was based on intelligence received and we would always ask anyone with information to report it to us.”

Two men were arrested in connection with the enforcement and inquiries led by HMRC are continuing.

You can report suspicious activity online at https://www.beds.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101.