Hull: Illicit cigarettes worth £220,000 seized

Humberside Police news:

Through joint working between Trading Standards, as well as officers from the Hull Central Neighbourhoods and Operation Galaxy, a large amount of illicit tobacco was seized over the weekend. 

£220,000 worth of illicit tobacco was found within a vehicle on Linnaeus Street in Hull and seized.

Trading Standards are investigating into this further.

In a separate incident, with the same partnership working, a cannabis factory was uncovered on Hessle Road.

PC Karen Walker said: “Whilst this type of offending just looks like us taking cheap cigarettes off the streets, we are doing this to protect you.

“When you buy these products, you could be putting your own health at risk as these products are not tested to see what they contain.

“Counterfeit or illicit tobacco can contain all kinds of harmful substances; from brick dust to rat poison.

“Offending of this nature has also been linked to funding organised crime gangs and modern slavery operations in the past.

“We will seek every avenue to disrupt these types of crimes, to protect the public.”