Over £30,000 worth of goods seized following crackdown on illegal tobacco and vape products

The Royal Borough of Greenwich, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police, carried out an operation on Saturday 21 June to target the sale of illegal tobacco and vape products. In total the seized products had a retail value of over £30,000.

In response to reports of retailers selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products, test purchasers attended two premises in Woolwich and one in Greenwich, supported by a specialist tobacco detection dog.

At a premises on Trafalgar Road, officers uncovered the products hidden in a sophisticated concealment system involving electronically operated magnetic locks. A significant quantity of illegal tobacco products was discovered and seized.

At a property on Hare Street, an even more elaborate set-up was found hidden behind a fully operational kitchen. Officers gained access to a concealed area through a false door beneath a sink. Inside, illegal products were stored in fridges. Thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes, tobacco, and illegal vapes were seized.

At the third location on Herbert Road, an individual attempted to flee from the premises but was quickly detained by police. They were found carrying a large bag containing tobacco and £970 in cash. A vehicle linked to the suspect was later searched, resulting in the recovery of further illegal goods and three iPhones believed to be stolen. Investigations into those items are ongoing.

The combined illicit market value of the goods is estimated at over £18,000, but the retail value could have exceeded £30,000 if sold at full price. In total, officers seized 2,242 packets of cigarettes, 154 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco and 570 vapes. These products were illegal due to being counterfeit or the retailers not paying duty on imported items.

Cllr Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement said: 
“This enforcement action sends a clear message that the illegal sale of tobacco and vaping products will not be tolerated in our borough. These activities not only pose serious health risks to consumers but also undermine the legitimate businesses in our borough. We will continue to work alongside the police and other partners to tackle illegal activity  and support law-abiding businesses, to ensure everyone in Greenwich is safer, and feels safer.”

The council will now carry out further investigations and enforcement, including the potential prosecution of the retailers.

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or vape products can report it to the council by calling 020 8921 8157 or emailing tradingstandards@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

If you want to provide this information anonymously visit the London Trading Standards website.