More than 25,000 illegal cigarettes and vapes seized by trading standards

Officers also seized illegal vapes and hand-rolled tobacco

Trading standards has seized thousands of illegal cigarettes and vapes across East Cambridgeshire. Inspections at premises in Ely, Soham, and Littleport were carried out on June 23 by Cambridgeshire Trading Standards, Cambridgeshire Police, and HMRC.

As a result, officers seized 25,000 illegal cigarettes, 6.85kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and more than 138 illegal vaping products from three locations.

Peter Gell, head of service for Cambridgeshire Trading Standards, said: “These targeted enforcement operations send a clear message that the sale of illegal tobacco and nicotine products will not be tolerated in Cambridgeshire.

“This was a positive result for the local community and a strong example of partners working together to tackle organised crime. Disrupting this activity helps keep our communities safe and protects vulnerable people from harm.

“The sale of these products helps to fund organised crime, and there is clear evidence that the availability of cheap tobacco undermines efforts to help people stop smoking.”

Among the items confiscated were vapes with oversized tanks, incorrect, or missing labelling, and products that had not been notified to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). These are illegal to sell in the UK. Officers also found tobacco products that didn’t carry the required health warnings in English.

Neighbourhood Sergeant Mat Lupton-Pike, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: “Protecting our communities is at the heart of everything we do, and the sale of illegal cigarettes, vapes and tobacco not only damages people’s health but also supports wider criminal networks.

“Working alongside our partners is a vital part of the everyday work carried out by our neighbourhood teams in response to issues raised by the public.”