Illicit tobacco seized in Broadgreen

Swindon Police seized thousands of pounds' worth of illicit tobacco and arrested two people following the execution of a warrant in Broadgreen.

On Monday afternoon officers, with the support of Trading Standards and HMRC, executed a warrant at Kubus Polski and the adjoining residential properties in Manchester Road.
Two men were arrested, one of whom attempted to flee from an upstairs window.
Around £5,500-worth of illegal tobacco and cigarettes was located and seized. A car linked to the premises was also seized and was found to contain around £10,000 of illicit tobacco.
The warrant was executed during Neighbourhood policing week of action, which highlights the vital role neighbourhood policing plays in keeping our communities safe.
Sgt Winter of the Swindon Central South NPT said: “This warrant followed intelligence that potentially dangerous illicit tobacco and vapes were again being sold at the store.
“As we have repeatedly said, these are a significant health risk due to the lack of quality control, meaning they potentially contain higher levels of harmful substances, as well as banned chemicals
“The sale of illicit tobacco and vapes is also often linked to the exploitation of children, people trafficking and illegal working.
“We will continue to take enforcement action to ensure there is no place for this type of organised crime in Swindon.”
Cllr Matt Hinton, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Services, said: “I’m really pleased our Trading Standards team were able to support Wiltshire Police colleagues with this operation to take a significant quantity of illicit tobacco off our streets.
“Illicit tobacco is often linked to organised crime and has a harmful impact on our communities, undermining legitimate businesses and funding wider criminal activity."