'Large-scale' Illegal tobacco operation launched across the South West
Trading Standards South West co-ordinated the tobacco disruption operation across the South West, between Monday 10 and Friday 14 March
Last updated 18th Mar 2025
Up and down the South West last week (10-14 March), Trading Standards teams co-ordinated a large-scale, nationally funded, Illegal tobacco disruption operation (Operation CeCe) - after months of preparation.
The team worked closely with nine local authority Trading Standards services from across the South West and assisted by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit and immigration officials.
In total, they inspected a total of 50 retail premises during this week of action, using specially trained detection dogs.
127,371 illegal cigarettes
The week’s activity saw a total of 127,371 illegal cigarettes and 65.94kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco seized by Trading Standards officers.
In addition to this, 4,490 illegal vapes were also seized as well as 2.5kg of Shisha.
In total, the overall value of goods seized in the region of £186,000.
Trading Standards say the sale of cheap, illegal tobacco and vapes sees the money used by organised criminal gangs to finance other illegal activities, such as drug sales, modern day slavery and people trafficking.
Trading Standards Officers have discovered several sophisticated concealments across the region, being used by the criminals to conceal their stock. Criminal gangs go to great lengths to hide it from the authorities, protecting their stock from seizure.
'Serious criminal association'
Ben Hayes is the regional illegal tobacco and vape lead in the South West. He co-ordinates Operation CeCe work and provides additional support and expertise to local Trading Standards teams. “This has been another successful multi-agency operation to tackle illegal tobacco disruption, and the criminals who operate in our communities” said Ben.
“Members of public need to be aware of serious criminal association that these products have to criminal gangs. I urge anyone with concerns about sales of the illegal tobacco and vaping products, including underage sales, to report them to Trading Standards South West www.tssw.org.uk/report-it. You may have the missing piece of information that we need to disrupt serious and organised crime.”
Detective Inspector Lucy Edgeworth of the South West Regional and Organised Crime Unit, who works closely with partner agencies, said: “This is another example of the success when policing and partners come together to tackle criminality, I echo the comments of Ben Hayes and reiterate that anyone can report a crime or suspicious behaviour via their local force or pass information anonymously via Crimestoppers either by phone on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law.
"Having removed 60,473,235 cigarettes and 16,416kg of hand rolling tobacco between 1 January 2001 and 30 September 2024 in England and Wales, Operation CeCe has taken £35.3m worth of illicit tobacco off the market since the operation launched in 2021 and continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.”
'Cheap, illegal tobacco undermines attempts to quit their addiction'
Matt Lenny, South West Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “Smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable death nationally and in the South West, killing up to half of its users.
"Cheap, illegal tobacco undermines smokers’ attempts to quit their addiction to tobacco, it is also more easily available to children and young people often leading to a lifetime addiction.”
Support and advice to stop smoking can be found on the NHS Better Health website.
Sales of illegal tobacco and/or vapes can be reported anonymously to the Trading Standards South West team.