Crime Solicitors

Luton City Council’s Trading Standards department has recovered a record haul of illegal tobacco, with assistance from police officers from Operation Sentinel.

Officers visited two premises in Leagrave Road, believed to be linked with the supply of illegal tobacco at a shop on Dunstable Road in Luton.

Acting on intelligence, officers had to break into a garage at the rear of one property, after the owner claimed not to have access. Inside, officers found 289,500 cigarettes (equivalent to 14,474 packets of 20), as well as 62.3kg of hand rolling tobacco and 167.2kg of the other tobacco products.

The cigarettes are estimated to be worth £130,000, the hand rolling tobacco £22,500 and other tobacco products around £15,000. The team had to call in extra vehicles to transport the haul.

Portfolio Holder for Trading Standards, Councillor Rachel Hopkins, said:

“This is the largest single haul of illegal tobacco found in Luton by council officers – and we believe that this will have an impact on the supply of illegal tobacco in Luton.

“As well as harming the local economy, increased availability of cheap tobacco has the potential to increase tobacco usage and the associated health risks.

“This is an excellent example of council and police working together to tackle organised crime, protect the public and legitimate businesses.”

Officers believe that the seized items include counterfeit products – which pose an additional risk, as the user has no idea what they are inhaling; and also cigarettes which fail the “reduced ignition propensity“ test, a standard that requires unattended cigarette to self-extinguish.

The introduction of this standard has been shown to result in a significant reduction in fire deaths caused by unattended cigarettes – and any illegal products pose a serious risk.

The products found will now be subject to formal testing as part of an ongoing investigation, said the council.

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers – Public Protection Offences

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 and breaches of health and safety regulations.

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.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ 24-Hour Emergency Helpline on 0333 772 0607.