10 MILLION ILLICIT CIGARETTES REMOVED FROM THE STREETS

West Yorkshire Trading Standards has seized its 10 millionth illicit cigarette. An operation took place last week where illicit tobacco products were found in 3 vehicles, in a hydraulic ceiling concealment and a wall hide to push the team across the 10 million mark. The concealments show the lengths traders will go to in order to hide their illegal activities.

As well as the 10 million illicit cigarettes, the programme has also taken more than 3 tonnes of illicit hand rolling tobacco off the streets of West Yorkshire. With more inspections planned in the coming weeks, these figures are set to increase.

If all of the seized tobacco products were genuine, based on today’s prices, they would have cost around £8 million. This would have resulted in a loss of duty for the country of more than £4.5 million. With cash strapped local authorities and the cost of living crisis, this could have gone a long way to helping local communities.

The Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health Programme, funded by the five Public Health departments, is helping people to stop tobacco use for good by educating communities and by investigating traders who supply cheap and illicit tobacco. The initiative uses multi-agency enforcement and community marketing campaigns to tackle the problems of the illicit trade.

Smoking tobacco is harmful to your health and the health of others around you, not to mention the environment and your bank balance. None of these facts are disputed, however many do still find themselves smoking as they haven't been motivated enough or felt that they had the right level of will-power to quit.

The programme has worked with more than 8,000 members of the community and a wide range of professionals to raise awareness about the dangers and wider criminality associated with the supply of illicit tobacco whilst also working with partners to revoke alcohol licenses, apply for closure orders of businesses and dealt with sales of illicit tobacco products to children.

Linda Davis, Trading Standards Manager, said “What a fantastic achievement, far from being a victimless crime, the illegal trade in tobacco costs government billions each year in lost revenue, makes it easier for children to start smoking, takes advantage of cash-strapped families, and helps fund organised crime. Members of the public should recognise the adverse health, economic and social impacts of the illicit trade of tobacco products, including the linkages with human trafficking and a wide range of organised crimes. With continued support from public health and partners, we can achieve a smoke free England by 2030.”

Councillor Pauleen Grahame, Member of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee which oversees the work of Trading Standards said, “The illegal sale of tobacco in communities enables and encourages young children to buy it cheaply.  Highlighting the health and financial benefits of quitting tobacco use as well as tackling those that undermine it by supplying cheap and illicit tobacco is a brilliant and proactive way of spreading the message of the harms of cheap and illicit tobacco. I would like to thank all the public health commissioners from West Yorkshire for their continued support with this programme and all the partners who have worked with trading standards over the years.”

If you need to report a trader selling cheap and illicit tobacco please contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133 anonymously.

Anyone wanting help to quit can find their local Stop Smoking Service at

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

 Workshops about the dangers of cheap and illicit tobacco can be delivered to schools, members of the public and front line professionals. Please contact kerry.holmes@wyjs.org.uk