Crime Solicitors

Doncaster Council says that its Trading Standards department seized more than 169,640 illicit cigarettes and 54kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco from Doncaster premises between April 2016 and April 2017.

The council said that the illicit tobacco market could account for as many as one in every ten cigarettes consumed globally, according to studies and information supplied by the global customs community.

Illicit tobacco seizure in Doncaster is the result of an ongoing Tobacco and Alcohol Control Operation to deliver educational packages and carry out enforcement action, by raising awareness with the public and professionals about the dangers of illicit tobacco.

The council said that, to support the work of Trading Standards and partner organisations, specialist tobacco sniffer dogs are used to hunt out the illicit tobacco products that are sometimes concealed in highly sophisticated packages and places within premises.

Products are seized because they may not display the important health warnings about the dangers of smoking that help to deter people.

Health warnings carried on tobacco packaging are shown to increase consumer knowledge about the health consequences of smoking, as well as helping to change consumer behaviour.

Some illegal tobacco products are also dangerous as they do not self-extinguish – a legal requirement that reduces the risk of deadly fires from cigarettes not being extinguished after use.

The low prices that illicit tobacco is sold for may also encourage underage smoking.

Director of Public Health at Doncaster Council, Dr Rupert Suckling, said:

“All tobacco is harmful, but the supply of illicit cigarettes seriously undermines the drive to reduce smoking, fuels organised crime – and is often a gateway for young people to becoming addicted to a habit that prematurely kills over half of its users.”

Doncaster Council says it takes action from all intelligence received about illegal tobacco.

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers can advise at any stage of a public protection offence, including charges involving selling counterfeit goods, selling illicit alcohol or tobacco products, weights and measures issues, mislabelling offences, food hygiene breaches, selling restricted items to minors, breaches of health and safety regulations – and selling or offering for sale produce which fails to meet minimum quality standards.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and in most major cities – and Duncan Lewis can advise on police raids and premises inspections by Trading Standards or local authority fraud teams.

For expert legal advice on public protection offences, call Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers on 0333 772 0409.