Specially trained dogs help sniff out dodgy tobacco in Banbury, Bicester and Oxford
Operation resulted in nearly 6,000 illegal cigarettes - many suspected of being counterfeit - being seized from a vehicle linked to a shop.
Specially trained tobacco dogs from Pembrokeshire company B.W.Y Canine Ltd have given trading standards a helping paw in their search for smuggled and fake tobacco products across the county.
Detection dogs Yoyo and Cooper accompanied Oxfordshire County Council’s officers during visits in Banbury, Bicester and Oxford.
Premises were targeted based on prior intelligence. The visits resulted in nearly 6,000 illegal cigarettes – many suspected of being counterfeit – being seized from a vehicle linked to one shop and over 21,000 grams of shisha tobacco from another.
Read more here: https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/crime/specially-trained-dogs-help-sniff-out-dodgy-tobacco-in-banbury-bicester-and-oxford-3236522
This was a successful operation and forms part of Oxfordshire County Council's ongoing strategy to identify and disrupt the supply of illegal tobacco.
Jody Kerman - Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Trading Standards
Criminals dealing in illegal tobacco provide a cheap source of supply that can easily end up in the hands of young people whose developing lungs are particularly sensitive to the harm tobacco causes. It also encourages adults to carry on smoking, when giving up would dramatically improve their health and wealth.
Formed in 2009, B.W.Y CANINE is a leading supplier of specialist detection dogs for UK and international clients. B.W.Y CANINE provides a range of sniffer dog services to a very diverse range of clients for detecting Drugs, Explosives, Firearms and Counterfeit Tobacco. Our clients include Police Services, Trading Standards, Private Companies, NHS Trusts, Oil Refineries and the 3rd largest Port Authority in the UK.
