Police seize bags of illegal tobacco from shops in Bognor Regis and Worthing

Anyone with information about the sale of illicit tobacco products is asked to report it directly to www.westsussex.gov.uk/TSreport

The seizure comes as Trading Standards continues to crackdown on illicit tobacco throughout the county. In total, eight West Sussex shops were targeted – four in Worthing and four in Bognor Regis – and more than 5,000 illegal cigarettes were seized by officers, alongside disposable vapes.

It came as part of a planned operation, where trading standards and HMRC Enforcement Officers were accompanied by three specialist tobacco detection dogs and their handler. Dubbed Operation CeCe, it represents a joint initiative between National Trading Standards and HMRC to tackle the illegal tobacco trade.

The cigarettes had been concealed in hidden or difficult to access parts of the eight shops and so would not have been found without the specialist Cocker Spaniel detection dogs.

“All forms of tobacco products are harmful whether purchased from a legal or illegal source, but the illicit trade undermines efforts that have been made to reduce smoking, making it harder for smokers to quit and making it easier for non-smokers to start and ex-smokers to relapse. The availability and typically lower price of illicit tobacco also encourages young people to take up smoking,” said Peter Aston, Trading Standards team manager.

"We will continue to take robust enforcement action against any shop selling illicit tobacco in West Sussex. As well as seizing stock found, store owners face prosecution and if they sell alcohol the presence of illegal tobacco can be grounds for their alcohol licence to be suspended or revoked.”

Duncan Crow, a cabinet member for community support, fire and rescue, added: “We are committed to keeping people in West Sussex safe from buying counterfeit items, or products illegally imported into this country.

“Together with our partner agencies, we will continue to crack down on those who continue to sell illegal tobacco products.

“I hope the results of this joint operation send a strong message that if shop owners deal in illicit tobacco, they should expect to be caught, have their stock removed and face criminal charges and possible investigation from HMRC if duty has been evaded.”

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