Thousands of illegal cigarettes and vapes seized in Dorset

A two-day enforcement operation has taken place in Dorset in the fight against the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes.

Dorset Council’s trading standards team joined officers from Dorset Police and HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) and, acting on intelligence, visited 6 shops across Weymouth, Ferndown and Gillingham. They were assisted by a specialist tobacco detection dog.

Part of a nationally funded illegal tobacco disruption campaign called Operation CeCe, they inspected all goods on sale. They also searched storage areas and cars connected to the shops. 

Illicit goods were found at 5 of the 6 shops visited. The total seized across the shops was:

17,000 individual cigarettes; 15.75 kg of hand rolling tobacco; 1,300 vapes; Shisha tobacco; and 30 tubs of nicotine pouches.

The police also seized suspected controlled drugs. Enquiries are ongoing.

HMRC seized 3 vehicles used to store tobacco and vapes. These will either be scrapped or auctioned.

Councillor Gill Taylor, Dorset Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Housing, which includes community safety and regulatory services, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes not only harms the health of Dorset residents but undermines legitimate businesses. I thank our team, our colleagues at Dorset Police and at HMRC for this successful operation.

“These vital multi-agency operations are designed to disrupt and frustrate the supply of illegal products and we will continue working closely with our partners to disrupt these criminal networks. We urge anyone with information to come forward and report it.”  

Sales of illegal tobacco and/or vapes can be reported anonymously to Dorset Trading Standards at www.tssw.org.uk/report-it or by calling the Citizens Advice consumer advice line on 0808 223 1133.