Hampshire County Council Trading Standards, supported by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, seized almost £9,000 worth of illegal vapes, cigarettes, and hand-rolling tobacco during a raid on May 13 in Hampshire.
The operation was conducted alongside the Modern Slavery & Organised Immigration Crime (MSOIC) team, New Milton Neighbourhood Policing Team, and Immigration Enforcement. The aim was to disrupt the sale of illicit tobacco and vape products in the region.
This multi-agency crackdown involved inspections at two retail premises located in the county’s town centre. The search was assisted by a specially trained detection dog named George, who helped uncover concealed illegal stock.
Following reports from the local community, officers carried out enforcement and compliance visits to tackle criminal trading activities.
The seizure details are as follows:
- First store: 108 cigarette packets (2,160 sticks), 14 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco, and 115 illegal vapes
- Second store: 57 cigarette packets, 15 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco, and 2 illegal vapes
- Linked vehicle searched, uncovering 824 cigarette packets and 216 tobacco pouches
The total value of the seized illegal goods was estimated at £8,989. The equivalent value of these items if sold legally would be approximately £17,802 at retail prices.
PC Antony Waghorn from the MSOIC unit emphasised the negative impact of illicit tobacco trade, stating, “This kind of criminality exploits people, harms local residents, and undermines legitimate businesses.”
During the operation, officers also engaged with shop workers to ensure their welfare and safety.
Richard Strawson, Hampshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, highlighted the ongoing success of enforcement efforts, saying, “Our focus on cracking down on illegal vapes and tobacco products is paying off, with this latest operation preventing potentially dangerous products from reaching consumers.”
He added that the raid would serve as a strong warning to disreputable traders operating in the area.
Originally published by UKNIP.
