Illegal tobacco worth £30k seized from cars and shops

More than £31,000 worth of illicit tobacco has been seized after raids on cars and shops.

In a joint operation with Swindon Borough Council and government officials, Wiltshire Police uncovered the illegal products in the Broadgreen area of Swindon on Tuesday.

The tobacco was located by a drugs dog in two parked cars in the area, which were towed away.

Officers also seized £2,000 worth of illegal vapes from a nearby shop.

Sgt Winter, of the area's neighbourhood policing team, said the sale of such products "puts money in the pockets of organised criminals", and that while buying cheap illicit tobacco "may not seem like a big deal" it put people "at risk of harm".

Such products are "often linked to the exploitation of children, people trafficking, modern slavery and illegal working, causing significant harm," he added.

Councillor Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council's cabinet member for communities and partnerships, said: "To take such a large quantity of illegal tobacco and vapes off the streets is a huge success."

"Illegal tobacco is not regulated or manufactured to the same standards as normal tobacco. It is often found to contain higher levels of harmful substances, as well as banned chemicals," he added.

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