40,000 illicit cigarettes found during raids in Great Yarmouth
Illegal tobacco seized in Great Yarmouth inspections
Over 40,000 illegal cigarettes and 13.8kg of hand-rolling tobacco have been seized during inspections of four businesses in Great Yarmouth.
The operation, involving Norfolk Trading Standards, Norfolk Constabulary, HMRC, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, and the Home Office, uncovered illicit goods at each site as part of Operation CeCe.
Graham Crisp, Norfolk County Council's Head of Trading Standards, highlighted the significance of the seizures.
“A third round of seizures in short order shows the scale of the challenge these criminal enterprises present, and also the success of the intelligence-led work carried out by our teams,” Crisp said.
“Each seizure of unsold, illegal goods is another round of cash that won’t be reaching the criminals supplying these cigarettes, and that won’t be used to fund more crime in our communities."
Efforts to combat illegal tobacco distribution are continuing across Norfolk.
The consequences of this illicit trade affect the local economy through unfair competition and lost duty.
Retailers involved often sell to young people at discounted prices and may have ties to organised crime, including modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
This raid follows earlier inspections in Great Yarmouth and Norwich, which resulted in the confiscation of over 33,000 illegal cigarettes and other tobacco products recently.
James Wilson, Head of Environment and Sustainability at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, applauded the coordinated efforts.
"This successful operation clearly demonstrates the value of our co-ordinated work with our police, Trading Standards, and HMRC partners," Wilson said.
"The action was taken as part of ongoing activity to tackle illegal trading activity in the borough and those engaging in this type of behaviour should be on notice."