Trading Standards seizes more than one million illegal cigarettes

More than one million illegal cigarettes have been seized through Oxfordshire County Council’s dedicated illegal tobacco project, marking a major milestone in efforts to tackle the illicit trade.

The project’s first seizure took place in Banbury in October 2017. Since then, intelligence-led enforcement, test purchasing, criminal investigations and partnership working have been used to tackle the supply of counterfeit, smuggled and other illegal tobacco across Oxfordshire.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Seizing more than one million illegal cigarettes from our communities is an extraordinary milestone and demonstrates the sustained effort to tackle this illicit trade across Oxfordshire. Illegal tobacco undermines legitimate businesses and makes smoking readily available at pocket-money prices. This achievement sends a clear message that those involved should expect trading standards to continue disrupting their activities.”

Since the project began, there have been:

• 92 seizures
• More than 1.1 million illegal cigarettes seized
• More than 96kg of hand-rolling tobacco seized
• More than 183kg of waterpipe tobacco, commonly known as shisha, seized
• 84 successful test purchases of illegal cigarettes or tobacco
• 42 successful prosecutions, comprising 41 guilty pleas and one conviction following a trial
• Sentences totalling 128 months’ imprisonment, including 72 months suspended
• 880 hours of unpaid work
• £594,900 in confiscation orders
• 12 premises licence review applications, resulting so far in five licence revocations and four suspensions

Dozens of cases are also progressing through the criminal justice system or remain under investigation, meaning enforcement figures are expected to continue rising.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, said: “This reflects nine years of determined enforcement work by officers past and present, supported by our partners, particularly Thames Valley Police. Seizures are only part of the picture. Our investigations have resulted in prosecutions, imprisonment, the confiscation of criminal assets and licensing action against businesses involved in illegal tobacco. With many more cases under investigation or before the courts, the work continues.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco can report it anonymously by calling 0300 999 6 999 or visiting the Stop Illegal Tobacco website at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

More information

• Oxfordshire County Council’s Illegal Tobacco Project began in August 2017, with its first seizure in October 2017.
• Illegal tobacco includes counterfeit, smuggled and other tobacco products that do not comply with UK legal requirements.
• Operation CeCe is the national initiative through which Trading Standards services work with partners to tackle the illegal tobacco trade.
• The figures above represent activity recorded since the project began and are expected to increase as existing investigations and court proceedings conclude.

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