£10,000 of illegal tobacco seized from Stafford shop
A total of 9,880 cigarettes, believed to be fake or illegal and 12.85Kg of hand rolling tobacco was discovered by a sniffer dog during raids in Stafford.
If sold legitimately the cigarettes and tobacco would be worth £10,000.
Staffordshire Trading Standards and Staffordshire Police were assisted by sniffer dogs from Pembrokeshire based B.W.Y Canine Ltd.
Staffordshire County Council trading standards officers, aided by a sniffer dog, raided the shop in addition to two residential properties.
The premises were targeted as part of an intelligence-led operation to tackle illicit tobacco sales. It was seized from the shop on Wednesday.
Trading standards manager Tony Shore said: “We responded to intelligence and successfully disrupted the supply of potentially dangerous tobacco in Stafford.”
Anyone with information on illicit tobacco sales can contact the trading standards team confidentially on 01785 330356.
About the author
Stuart Phillips
Stuart Phillips is a multi award-winning detection dog handler, trainer and instructor. In 2009 Stuart formed B.W.Y Canine Ltd, who now provide trained and untrained detection dogs, training and consultancy services to clients in the UK and internationally.
Iscoed Farm, Llandissilio, Pembrokeshire. SA66 7TN
Email: office@bwycanine.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1437 563 999
