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Devon and Somerset Trading Standards crackdown on illegal tobacco sales (19 October 2015)

Date: 19/10/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Devon and Somerset Trading Standards crackdown on illegal tobacco sales

Devon and Somerset Trading Standards are to patrol the streets of Exeter on Monday (19/10/15) in an exercise to crack down on illegal tobacco.

The sale of illegal tobacco is a criminal offence and the team will use sniffer dogs and will also ask the public to help in identifying any retailers selling illegal tobacco products.

The Keep it Out campaign has been running for five years and aims to help the public know what illegal tobacco looks like, as well as what the dangers of using illegal tobacco. The campaigns aims to encourage the general public to keep their eyes open and report illegal tobacco being sold in their neighbourhood.

More than 100,000 people in Devon are smokers – and around 3% of these buy illegal tobacco.

Since the campaign first launched, the number of smokers buying illegal tobacco in the southwest has fallen by more than one- fifth (20%) in just three years – from 20% of smokers in 2010, to 16% in 2013.
Illegal tobacco is known to make it easier for children to start smoking, as it is sold at cheap prices – and is also known to make communities more attractive to criminals, who can have links to organised crime.
Devon County Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, Councillor Andrea Davis, said:

“This isn’t just about shops and retail premises. Younger people are more likely to visit ‘fag houses’ to buy cigarettes. It puts them into risky situations with adults who might also be selling alcohol, drugs – or who might take the opportunity to exploit the relationship that gets built up over time.”

Devon County Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for Trading Standards, Councillor Roger Croad, said:

“Trading Standards along with Public Health colleagues are determined to crack down on the sale and supply of illegal tobacco.

“It is one of our top priorities for action – not only because smoking remains one of the UK’s biggest causes of premature death, but we also know that the availability of cheap, illegal tobacco makes it harder for people to give up smoking.”

Deputy director of Smokefree South West, Andrea Dickens, called upon the public to report to Trading Standards any suspected cases of shops selling illegal tobacco:

“If you see it, please report it – this isn’t about some ‘harmless bootlegging’: it’s about keeping criminals out of your neighbourhood and children and young people safe from harm and a potentially deadly habit.

“There is a lot of work being done across the region to tackle illegal tobacco, but we need the public support to help us.

“Please tell us about where illegal tobacco is being sold, either in person at our mobile illegal tobacco unit, go online or via our hotline. “

Duncan Lewis Crime Solicitors

Duncan Lewis crime solicitors can advise at any stage of an investigation or charge relating to illegal tobacco or counterfeit goods such as branded goods, DVDs, perfumes, prescription medicines and video games.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and a criminal defence solicitor can usually reach a client for interview under caution at a police station within an hour.

For expert legal advice on criminal charges involving illegal tobacco or counterfeit goods, call Duncan Lewis crime solicitors on 020 7923 4020.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.

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