More than half-a-million pounds' worth of illegal cigarettes and thousands of pounds in cash seized in Lincolnshire in multi-agency crackdown
More than half-a-million pounds’ worth of illegal cigarettes and thousands of pounds in cash has been seized in Lincolnshire as part of a multi-agency crackdown on organised immigration crime, police have said.
The operation – dubbed Operation Lockstream – took place in Boston on June 16, Spalding on June 17, and Lincoln on July 1, and involved Lincolnshire Police and local and national partners.
A spokesman for the force said: “This is a national response to serious organised criminal activity that deliberately facilitates the illegal movement of people into, through, or out of the UK, the criminal manipulation of immigration systems for profit, and the criminal activities of those organised crime groups.”
The three days of activity resulted in:
- Ten arrests, five relating to immigration matters
- The seizure of more-than-half a million pounds’ worth of illicit cigarettes
- The seizure of £5,000 cash
- Six immigration referrals
- One shop closure order, with a further three being sought
In Boston, the team uncovered ‘one of the largest illicit tobacco hauls ever seen in the UK’, Lincolnshire Police said. So much contraband was seized that three transit vans were required to remove it, the force said.
The operation resulted in the confiscation of 348,500 cigarettes, alongside over a quarter of a tonne (280.5kg) of hand-rolling tobacco.
Together, the products are estimated to be worth more than £525,000, police said.
In addition to this, £2,000 was seized.
Two men, aged 36 and 29, were arrested at premises in Boston on suspicion of possession of forged/counterfeit goods for export/import and duty or tax evasion matters. One person is being dealt with by Immigration Enforcement officials, police said.
In Spalding, six business premises were visited, however just 20 packs of illicit tobacco were seized.
A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “It is believed that enforcement activity carried out the previous day in Boston caused significant disruption to criminal operations.
“Officers found several concealed compartments or ‘hides’ – purpose-built spaces often hidden behind false walls and used to store illicit goods – empty. This suggests those involved had been forced to move or remove stock as a result of the heightened enforcement activity, disrupting their illicit supply chains.”
One stop-and-search led to Immigration Enforcement officials carrying out a number of follow-up enquiries based on information gathered during the visits, police added.
In Lincoln, six visits were carried out. Six people were arrested, two on suspicion of modern-day slavery offences, four for immigration matters. £3,000, as well as other evidential material, was recovered from one premises and four people have been safeguarded as a result of the activity, with a number of immigration referrals having been completed, police said.
A concealment containing illegal cigarettes was found in the ceiling of one premises. The goods were seized by Trading Standards and the matter is under investigation, the force said.
As part of the operation, a closure order was granted at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court for a premises in Louth. The application by Trading Standards was based on criminal activity on the premises, namely possession for supply of illegal cigarettes and tobacco, the force said, thanking residents for the information they provided which led to the action being taken.
Most organised crime is connected to violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour, police said.
Organised immigration crime drives a broad range of criminal activity, including county lines operations, wider drug trafficking and distribution, money laundering, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child sexual exploitation, it added.
Lincolnshire Police’s Intelligence Bureau Det Insp Paul Sands said: “Organised immigration crime remains a complex and evolving threat and continues to be a national policing priority.
“This county-wide, multi-agency operation targeted cash-intensive businesses (those which favour the use of cash rather than debit card transactions), including mini markets, fast-food outlets, vape shops and barber shops, where organised criminality can seek to exploit legitimate trade.
“The arrests, seizures, and enforcement activity undertaken sends a clear message that law enforcement agencies are working together to disrupt criminal networks, to protect our communities and to bring offenders to justice. Those who seek to profit from criminality should expect to be identified, targeted and held accountable.
“We will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in organised crime, disrupt their activity and remove the harm they cause to our communities.”
The operation was supported by Lincolnshire Trading Standards.
Coun Alex McGonigle, executive councillor for Lincolnshire Trading Standards at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The huge seizure of illegal goods in Boston will make a real difference in keeping unsafe products off our streets.
“This joint work between our Trading Standards team and Lincolnshire Police is part of the constant battle to and to crack down on illegal activity. Trading Standards will undertake investigations into all seizures. Lincolnshire County Council will instigate criminal legal proceedings against those responsible where appropriate to do so. We will employ all means at our disposal to protect legitimate businesses. We look forward to the forthcoming change in the law to allow closure of premises for a maximum of 12 months.
“I’m also grateful to residents for raising concerns and providing information that underpins this work. I know that you don’t want unscrupulous traders in your community, and we will continue to do all we can to support legitimate businesses. In response to those concerns Trading Standards will soon be piloting a scheme with Lincolnshire Police to intensify enforcement within perceived crime hotspots.”
Members of the public are asked to report their concerns about organised immigration crime by calling 101, at www.lincs.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/, via the Home Office-endorsed charity Stop the Traffik and its STOP App, or, anonymously, via the Crimestoppers website, on 999 in an emergency.