Officers from the Cannock Neighbourhood Policing team recently joined forces with Trading Standards & immigration Officers to carry out an operation in relation the illegal sale of counterfeit cigarettes and vapes in our district. 

The team visited a store in Cannock Town centre, one in Chadsmoor and two in Hednesford.

Between all the locations a total of 7851 packs of illegal cigarettes were seized (that's 157020 individual cigarettes) and 174 vapes as well as other items deemed illegal in the UK.

The total retail value of all the items seized is around £86,000. 

During the operation one shop was found to have an illegal worker present and have been fined in the region of around £45,000. The worker was arrested by immigration and has since been dealt with. 

Criminal gangs typically import fake cigarettes illegally and vapes typically from Eastern Europe and commonly use cheaper materials in unhygienic locations for manufacturing.

Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes contain harmful substances and lack regulations meaning they are unsafe for consumption. 

If you have information relating to the sale of illegal goods please contact your local Trading Standards team.