According to a report from Walsall.gov on July 12th, on July 9th, the Trading Standards team at Walsall Council in England seized a large quantity of illegal cigarettes, tobacco, and disposable e-cigarettes with a retail value of approximately £260,000 from a storage container and multiple businesses, including e-cigarettes branded with the label "hayati." This is one of the team's largest seizure operations to date.
With assistance from West Midlands Police and a specialist detection dog team, the Walsall Trading Standards team conducted searches at a warehouse and three retail stores. This operation was part of the "CeCe" operation, a nationwide effort to combat illegal tobacco conducted in collaboration with the National Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs.
After receiving intelligence regarding illegal tobacco sales, the trading standards team and police conducted inspections on the businesses.
The seized items include over 325,000 cigarettes, 28 kilograms of illegal hand-rolled tobacco, and 1,000 illegal disposable e-cigarettes. These e-cigarettes, with their colorful appearance and fruity flavors, are very attractive to children, with some containing as much as 15,000 puffs, while legal limits are around 600 puffs.
Sniffer dogs Griff, Bran, and Cooper assisted in the operation.
Bran discovered a storage container containing nearly 314,000 illegal cigarettes, 900 illegal e-cigarettes, and 25 kilograms of illegal loose tobacco. A task force team then inspected three stores, uncovering illegal tobacco products, cigarettes, and e-cigarettes hidden in various concealed locations, including inside shop counters and under chair seats. In one store, Bran detected a complex concealed area within the kitchen zone closed off with an electromagnetic system.
The city of Walsall will continue with its investigation and will proceed with further inquiries and prosecutions in the future.
The Mayor of Vorsol City Council, Garry Perry, stated
This is the largest scale seizure operation conducted by our Trading Standards team and the police to date. The quantity and value of the confiscated goods are staggering, all thanks to the hard work of our colleagues and the police, as well as the assistance of the highly trained Griff, Bran, and Cooper.
We will continue to work throughout the region and take enforcement action to ensure that these activities are disrupted, making Wallsor a safe place for everyone.
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