Undercover Operation Reveals Proliferation of Illegal Tobacco in UK

According to Talkingretail's report on January 15th, JTI conducted an undercover operation in Wolverhampton, UK in October 2024 and found widespread illegal tobacco and e-cigarette sales in the area, with 22 stores selling illegal products.

Undercover investigations have revealed that all 22 stores visited have ample supplies of illegal tobacco, including cigarettes, hand-rolled cigarettes, and illegal e-cigarettes, with some e-cigarettes claiming to be able to provide up to 15,000 puffs. The cheapest pack of ready-made cigarettes is priced at only 2.5 pounds.

JTI stated that all collected evidence and information have been provided to the Trade Standards Bureau to support the bureau's enforcement actions and prosecutions.

Ian Howell, JTI's public affairs manager in the UK, commented that...

The undercover operation in Wolverhampton further proves the significant threat of illicit tobacco across various locations in the UK.

In the past 12 months, we conducted hundreds of test purchases, unfortunately, our findings indicate that illegal tobacco is common in every major city we investigated. The lack of funding and power for enforcement agencies, coupled with increasing tobacco taxes over the years, have fueled the rapid growth of the black market.

He is concerned that the situation will deteriorate with the government's proposed generation smoking ban, which will decrease foot traffic and profits for legal shops while increasing the customer base for illegal operators. He further emphasized that eliminating the illegal tobacco market should be a top priority for the government next year.

JTI has discovered that counterfeit hand-rolled tobacco weighing 50 grams is typically sold for around £4, with the most expensive purchased by undercover agents being only £5. In contrast, JTI's recommended minimum retail price for 50 grams of hand-rolled tobacco is £31.25.