Watch as illegal tobacco gang operating in Sheffield is busted in series of raids

Trading standards officers in Sheffield teamed up with police and colleagues in Greater Manchester and Scotland last week to execute warrants and conduct searches at locations used by a gang, who both supplied and operated shops which sold counterfeit tobacco.

Illicit prescription only drugs, such as Viagra and Steroids, and a container of cannabis were also sniffed out by dogs during searches in Manchester.

A van driver, who tried to escape police at a Rochdale self-storage site, was stopped and had the contents of his van and two storage containers confiscated. He had around £2.4 million of counterfeit clothing in his possession.

Trademark offences for selling counterfeit products can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years.

This bust was organised after surveillance was undertaken by the Sheffield Trading Standards Team, following reports of suspicious activity from the public.

Councillor Alison Teal, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing at Sheffield City Council, said: “Surveillance and enforcement action is a critical part of the Sheffield tobacco control programme.

“Cheap and illicit tobacco undermines our efforts to help people quit and makes it easier for children to get hold of cigarettes at pocket money prices, with illegal cigarettes often sold in singles, so they get hooked from a young age.

“We are committed to stamping out cheap and illicit tobacco from our communities, it causes immense harm and as we’ve seen from the results of this operation, is often linked to other aspects of crime and organised criminal activity.

“We are working in collaboration with city partners to address the wider issues and impacts illegal tobacco has on communities such as drugs, money laundering and exploitation.

“Removing illegal tobacco from our communities will not only tackle these serious criminal impacts but is vital in supporting the continued steady decline in smoking that we have seen for the last five years in Sheffield.”

Those who suspect or have concerns about the sale of illicit tobacco products can contact Sheffield Trading Standards at [email protected]