Illicit tobacco worth more than £31,000 seized

Swindon Police have seized more than £31,000-worth of illicit tobacco following multi-agency work in Broadgreen.

Officers working in partnership with HMRC and Swindon Borough Council Trading Standards visited the area as part of ‘Brighter Broadgreen’ – the force's ongoing work in the community.

Following work by a drugs dog, illegal tobacco was found and seized in two cars parked in the Broadgreen area. The cars were also seized and towed away.

Two stores, one in Manchester Road and one in Fleet Street, were also visited. Illicit vapes to the value of approximately £2,000 were seized from one of the stores.

Sgt Winter of the Swindon Central South NPT said: “The sale of illicit tobacco puts money in the pockets of organised criminals.

“These are often linked to the exploitation of children, people trafficking, modern slavery and illegal working, causing significant harm.

“It may not seem a big deal to people when they buy cheap illicit tobacco but when you do, you’re helping organised criminals to function in our communities putting people at risk of harm.’’

Cllr Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “This operation is a great example of Trading Standards officers from Swindon working in partnership with the Regional Tobacco Coordinator and our colleagues in Wiltshire Police and HMRC to create safer communities and to improve health and wellbeing.

“Illegal tobacco is not regulated or manufactured to the same standards as normal tobacco. It is often found to contain higher levels of harmful substances, as well as banned chemicals.  To take such a large quantity of illegal tobacco and vapes off the streets is a huge success.  I urge any residents concerned about illicit tobacco to report it via https://www.tssw.org.uk/work-areas/report-it.”