Police dog sniffs out £10k of illegal tobacco

• WATCH: Cooper sniffs out secret stash of illegal tobacco.

This week, Southampton City Council’s Trading Standards, with help from the Police and Cooper, the sniffer dog, seized £10,000 worth of illegal tobacco at three shops in Shirley and Woolston. Some of the illegal tobacco was hidden within a stud wall, and, in Woolston, it was concealed within packs of children’s floor mats that had been hollowed out and bundled together. This seizure adds to £10,000 worth of illegal tobacco seized last month and the same in March, as well as £13,000 worth seized in February.

Cllr Steven Galton, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: "With police and community partners, we're determined to stop the flow of illegal tobacco locally".

"I am very pleased with the effectiveness of our regular illegal tobacco enforcement actions this year, taking more than £43,000 in illicit goods from these traders".

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