Public urged to report ‘stash cars’ help stub out the sale of illegal tobacco
People are being encouraged to help drive out organised crime by reporting vehicles used as mobile storage for illegal tobacco to Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.
This comes after recent multi agency operations uncovered two such vehicles, with illegal tobacco seized from both.
Parked vehicles, also known as ‘stash cars’, are increasingly being used by criminals to store counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco. They are typically left near local shops, allowing sellers to replenish stock in small amounts and avoid detection during trading standards inspections.
Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities said: “The sale of illegal tobacco disadvantages legitimate local businesses, undermines efforts to reduce smoking and funds wider organised crime gangs.
“Unregulated counterfeit products also pose a heightened health risk, as they bypass strict safety standards on fire safety and are often sold cheaply to children by criminals who do not care about age restrictions.”
Signs that a vehicle may be a ‘stash car’ include:
- Frequent and brief visits by individuals retrieving small bags or packages from the vehicle
- Vehicles parked for long periods near local convenience stores or vape shops that are regularly approached by staff
- Transactions taking place directly from the window or boot of a parked vehicle
- Vehicles that appear abandoned on private land, untaxed or without a valid MOT
Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, added: “If you see suspicious activity around vehicles near local shops, please tell us what you know. You can tell us anonymously. Your report can directly help keep our community safe and stub out the sale of these illegal products.”
Members of the public are urged not to confront suspected sellers, but to report any suspicious vehicle activity, including the make, model, registration number and location.
Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products should call 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.
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