Dogs help find £40,000 worth of illegal tobacco, shisha and vapes in Swindon

Three specialist detection dogs helped police find some of the illicit goods. Credit: Swindon Borough Council

Illegal tobacco and nicotine products worth around £40,000 have been seized in Swindon.

The operation was led by Swindon Trading Standards and included three tobacco detection dogs.

Officers focused on stores and vehicles, while a warrant was also used to gain entry to a residential address.

The dogs identified two vehicles that contained illicit goods.

Cllr Jim Grant, Swindon Borough’s Council’s cabinet member for communities and joint working, said: “We are determined to tackle the illegal tobacco trade as a council and this latest operation has sadly highlighted that it remains a problem in Swindon.

Officers said some illegal cigarettes do not comply with safety laws and could increase the risk of a fire at home. Credit: Swindon Borough Council

“Illegal tobacco and e-cigarettes are not only really harmful to people’s heath, the money raised from the sale of such products often helps fund criminal gangs. This is unacceptable.

“I’d like to thank our partners at HMRC and Wiltshire Police for their continued support, as well as the local community who are our eyes and ears on the ground and supply us with invaluable information as we continue to tackle this problem.”

Ben Hayes, Trading Standards Illegal tobacco regional lead, said: “The sale and supply of illegal tobacco funds serious and organised crime in and around your community, and people must think beyond it being a tax issue.

“All tobacco is dangerous, however some illegal cigarettes do not comply with safety laws and fail to extinguish if left unattended. This could increase the risk of a fire at home.

“The availability of cheap illegal tobacco also creates an unfair advantage to legitimate businesses. Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the solution and report illegal tobacco sales."

Divya Bassi, Public Health Specialist at Swindon Borough Council, said: “The availability of cheap illegal tobacco impacts most on more deprived communities, contributing to local health inequalities.

“Stopping smoking is the best thing an individual can do to improve their health. Even if they’ve tried to quit before, maybe more than once, they can still succeed.

"Quitting is easier with the right support and there are lots of options to choose from.

"Contact 07341 077530 or Swindon.stopsmoking@nhs.net for help from our local stop smoking service or visit https://www.nhs.uk/better- health/quit-smoking/ for tools and support with quitting.”