670,000 illegal cigarettes seized in crackdown on rogue traders
More than 670,000 illicit cigarettes were removed from the streets of Lincolnshire last year and 68 shops were served closure orders, according to new figures released as the County Council steps up its war on rogue traders.
This represents a 150 per cent increase compared to the year before, according to the council.
On top of this, the report shows 17,000 illegal vapes were seized in 2024, along with 370kg of hand rolling tobacco.
The huge leap in shop closures and seizure of goods is the result of effective joint working and intelligence sharing between Lincolnshire County Council Trading Standards officers, Lincolnshire Police and other partners.
The report coincides with the launch of Operation Nivada, a public awareness campaign showing the fight against illegal tobacco and an underworld of associated criminal activity.
Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire County Council are this week sharing behind the scenes footage of shop raids and other eye-opening posts on their Facebook pages.
Cllr Daniel McNally, executive member for Trading Standards at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Trading Standards officers and partners protect residents by removing these illegal products and lead the charge against the selfish rogue traders who peddle them.
“Make no mistake - these items are unsafe. Not only can they contain harmful, unregulated substances that damage health, they have also caused fatal house fires in Lincolnshire, and threaten the livelihoods of legitimate, hard-working small business owners.
“There is absolutely no place for these illicit products on Lincolnshire’s streets. The criminals have been put on notice, we will continue to clamp down hard on the unscrupulous individuals who sell them.”
The council’s Trading Standards team deploys a variety of measures against the rogue traders. Staff conduct regular test purchasing and inspections, work with landlords to remove tenants, secure closure orders on premises and bring criminal cases before the courts.
If you have any information about the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes in Lincolnshire, you can report this through the Citizens Advice consumer service at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer or by calling 0808 223 1133.
The figures form part of a report that will be discussed by councillors at the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 25 February 2025.