Illegal tobacco worth more than GBP 16,000 seized in County Durham

Illegal tobacco worth over £16,000 has been seized in County Durham, England. Local authorities are urging the public to report illegal sales locations and consumers to refuse to purchase illegal products.

According to a report from chroniclelive on September 13, Durham police seized illegal cigarettes, rolling tobacco, and e-cigarettes from three shops and a vehicle, with an estimated value of around £16,000.

Gary Carr, the strategic regulatory manager of Durham County Council, stated to the media that this not only attracts criminals to our communities, making it easier for minors to access restricted products, but also harms legitimate businesses, depriving them of profits and weakening the tax revenue needed to support public services. 

The police disclosed the quantities of the illegal products seized, which included 298 packs of illegal cigarettes, estimated to be worth £1,490; 11.5 kilograms of rolling tobacco, valued at £2,760; and 535 e-cigarettes, valued at £5,350. The total estimated value of these goods on the legal market exceeds £16,000. Additionally, cash suspected to be from criminal activities, totaling £3,926.06, was seized from one of the shops. 

The police are calling on the public to assist them and the government in exposing the sales locations of illegal goods and encourage anyone who suspects knowledge of illegal product sales to report it to the council. They also request consumers to refuse to purchase illegal products and consider the impact of their consumption behavior.