Nearly 20,000 counterfeit cigarettes seized during Oxfordshire Trading Standards raids
The operation's recovered £10,000 worth of illegal tobacco and vaping products
Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team has seized close to 20,000 counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes, alongside more than 15kg of hand-rolling and waterpipe tobacco, following a coordinated series of raids on retail premises. The enforcement action, carried out on 28 September, formed part of Operation CeCe—a national campaign targeting the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products, funded by HMRC in partnership with National Trading Standards.
With the help of specialist tobacco detection dogs trained to locate concealed contraband, officers discovered 18,980 illegal cigarettes, 6.8kg of hand-rolling tobacco and 8.6kg of shisha (waterpipe) tobacco. The total street value of these seized products is estimated at around £10,000. Officers also confiscated 120 nicotine pouches and 263 single-use vapes as part of the operation.
The raids uncovered several breaches and attempts to avoid detection, including:
One premises using a sophisticated, electromagnet-operated concealment built at height to evade detection dogs.
Three premises openly displaying tobacco products, in breach of laws requiring such products to be hidden from customers.
Three premises where staff could not identify the business owner.
Investigations are still underway, and businesses involved face potential criminal prosecution and possible financial penalties.
Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said:
“Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team will continue to crack down on the sale of these illegal products and cause the maximum disruption possible to criminal networks. People can help us to stamp out illegal tobacco and create a healthier and safer Oxfordshire by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity using the illegal tobacco hotline.”
Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, added:
“Make no mistake about it, organised criminals are using illegal tobacco as a commodity to raise cash, which funds serious crime. We would urge the public to stop funding them.
We know it can be hard to stop smoking but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. The service is free to everyone living in the county.”
Anyone with information about illegal tobacco sales is urged to contact 0300 999 6 999 or report anonymously via www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk .