Bolton: More than 20,000 E-cigs seized by trading standards
12/28/2023, 9:08:58 AM 1292
According to a report from Manchestereveningnews on October 15th, a significant quantity of tobacco and e-cigarettes, weighing a total of two tons, has been seized from illicit stores in the town of Bolton, in the United Kingdom. During a surprise inspection, the police discovered over 2000 counterfeit cigarette packs in various shops within the city.
- trading standards officers found more than 2,000 packs of illegal cigarettes hidden in walls and fridges in two shops with the help of sniffer dogs and tip offs from the community.
In the latest raids, on Tuesday September 26 and Friday September 29, trading standards officers found more than 2,000 packs of illegal cigarettes hidden in walls and fridges in two shops with the help of sniffer dogs and tip offs from the community.
Officials from the Trade Standards Bureau conducted the search after receiving intelligence regarding the sale of counterfeit cigarettes in the area. Of particular concern is the fact that these illegal products are being sold to students and young people. In a recent round of searches, law enforcement officers and Trade Standards Bureau officials were aided by sniffer dogs, leading to the successful discovery of hidden cigarettes within walls and refrigerators at two locations. These cigarettes have since been seized temporarily and await further scrutiny.
A commercial entity, whose name has not been disclosed due to its involvement in a criminal investigation, is currently under scrutiny. In the past five months, authorities have seized two tons of illicit items, including 23,500 non-compliant e-cigarettes that were uncovered during a series of surprise inspections.
- Enforcement action to tackling cheap, illegal tobacco is one way the local authority is doing this.
- On vaping, the health advice remains that vapes can help adults stop smoking.
- The businesses that were raided cannot yet be named because it is under criminal investigation.
But further crackdown could be on the way after the Department of Health and Social Care announced £3million plans to tackle sales of E-cigarettes to under 18s in April this year.