Multi agency crackdown seizes over £250,000 illegal tobacco

The city council’s trading standards team have seized illegal tobacco and vapes as part of a multi-agency crackdown.

The enforcement exercise took place on 11 June 2026 and was carried out as part of Operation Cece – an ongoing national initiative to tackle the supply of illegal tobacco and vapes.

Thirteen council officers worked in partnership with Staffordshire Police and a specialist tobacco detection dog and handler from Wagtail UK Ltd. The intelligence-led operation, informed in part by information from local communities, targeted both storage units and retail premises across the city.

As well as a concealment of illegal tobacco in one of the retail premises, officers uncovered a significant quantity in two self-storage units.

It included 11,000 packs of illegal cigarettes, 150 kilograms of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco and over 1,300 illegal vapes.

This latest action builds on sustained work to protect residents and support legitimate businesses, with the trading standards team seizing more than £300,000 of illegal tobacco and vapes since the start of 2026.

Councillor Amjid Wazir, cabinet member for city pride and enforcement, said: “This operation shows how partnership working and strong community intelligence are helping us keep Stoke-on-Trent safe.

“Illegal tobacco harms legitimate business and can be linked to wider criminal activity – those storing and selling it will face serious consequences. We are committed to making Stoke-on-Trent a fairer, safer city for all.

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of 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 102 million illegal cigarettes, 20,550kg 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.”

Information from local people can help target this work. Anyone with concerns about illegal tobacco can contact Trading Standards on 01782 238884 or visit www.stoke.gov.uk/tradingstandards