Largest ever seizure of illegal tobacco in West Yorkshire
Nine premises were raided across Leeds and Kirklees earlier this week
Authorities in West Yorkshire have seized nearly 1.3 million cigarettes and 68kg of hand-rolling tobacco in the largest confiscation of illegal tobacco to date.
Nine premises were raided across Leeds and Kirklees on February 2, with West Yorkshire Trading Standards, West Yorkshire Police, HMRC, and tobacco detection dogs all working together.
If the seized tobacco were genuine, its value would exceed £1.2 million, resulting in a loss of duty to taxman of approximately £700,000.
Illicit tobacco often costs less than half the tax-paid price of legally sold tobacco, incentivising smoking and providing a cheap source for children and young people to begin smoking.
Councillor Melanie Jones, Chair of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee, said:
“The illegal sale of tobacco in local communities enables and encourages young children to buy it cheaply. It is really positive that so many partners are working to tackle traders who break the law."
Linda Davis, Head of Trading Standards Protecting Communities, said:
“Far from being a victimless crime, the illegal trade in tobacco helps to fund organised criminality, makes it easier for children to start smoking, and costs the government millions each year in lost revenue.”
Inspector Amanda Holroyd of West Yorkshire Police said:
“Seizing these items safeguards the public from products which are typically unregulated and untested and can contain dangerous levels of nicotine and other harmful substances."