Published: Thursday, 31st July 2025
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is stepping up its crackdown on illegal tobacco and vape sales after seizing more illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes.
Trading Standards officers carried out a visit to a storage facility in Etruria on Wednesday 23 July, supported by police officers and a tobacco dog and handler from JMS Accelerant Search.
The teams seized 638,380 cigarettes, 108kg of hand rolling tobacco and 1262 vapes – with a total retail value of £671,363.
The individual who hired the two shipping containers, which stored the illegal goods, is now under investigation.
The work is part of Operation CeCe – a national operation with HMRC and National Trading Standards to tackle illegal tobacco.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride, environment and sustainability at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This work clearly shows that illegal tobacco sales will not be tolerated. Those involved in the storage, distribution, or sale of illicit tobacco will face serious consequences.
“Smuggling and counterfeiting on this scale is organised crime - the shops these goods were destined for don’t care who they sell to and are happy to sell to the city's children.
“Our message is clear, those engaging in crime will be held accountable. We are committed to making Stoke-on-Trent a greener, fairer, cleaner, safer city and keeping these substances off our streets.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “The illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses serious risks to local communities, especially young people.
“Since its launch in January 2021, Operation CeCe – a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC – has removed 69 million illegal cigarettes, 19,750kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, helping to clamp down on this illicit trade and protect communities and honest businesses across the UK.”
Anyone with concerns about illegal tobacco, vapes and underage sales can contact Trading Standards on the hotline at 01782 238884 or visit www.stoke.gov.uk/tradingstandards
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