Officers seize illegal tobacco worth £17,000 from Southend car
Community tip-off leads to significant seizure at Warrior Square
Officers from the Southend Neighbourhood Policing Team have seized illegal cigarettes and tobacco worth nearly £17,000 from a car parked in Warrior Square.
The discovery resulted from a community tip-off about a red Nissan Micra that raised suspicions. Upon investigation, officers found hundreds of packets of illegal cigarettes and over half a kilo of illegal tobacco in a large holdall and a Just Eat courier bag inside the vehicle.
The seized items, valued at £16,911, will be destroyed as part of the ongoing efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area.
PC Reef Peetoom, who leads the operation in and around Warrior Square, emphasised the importance of community involvement. "This was a significant seizure and shows the value of community intelligence. I’ve thanked the member of the public who spotted something that concerned him and contacted us," he said.
The operation aims to address concerns from local residents, identify individuals responsible for criminal activities, and gather intelligence to take action against those negatively impacting the community.