Illicit cigarettes seized in Nelson raids

Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards officers teamed up with Lancashire Constabulary officers to visit the two shops, also seizing 17 packs of illicit HRT and two illicit vapes. The goods seized were worth more than £1,000.

During visits on 13 May, officers uncovered the illegal goods – along with 17 packs of illicit hand-rolling tobacco and two illicit vapes – with a total value of more than £1,000. At one shop, the cigarettes had been cleverly concealed inside a stool with a false top. The premises had been targeted less than two months earlier, when a further haul of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes was seized.

Illicit goods hidden inside the stool

Officers also visited a second shop, where seven packs of illicit cigarettes were found. This business had also been visited in recent weeks, when more than 50 packs of illicit cigarettes were previously seized.

Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council, said:

“These visits show that despite action being taken and illegal goods being removed, some traders continue to ignore the law and engage in criminal activity.

"We will not hesitate to take further action against those who flout the rules and put our communities at risk.”

Sergeant Carl McCoy from the Neighbourhood Policing Team at Pendle said:

“This operation demonstrates our strong working relationships with local partners and our combined commitment to tackling this sort of activity in our communities, preventing, and detecting crime.

“The information we receive from the public is invaluable to the police and, without it, we would be unable to carry out this sort of proactive work.”

Anyone wishing to report illicit cigarettes, vapes and tobacco can do so at anonymously at Contact us - Lancashire County Council