Hull: £500k of illicit tobacco seized

A joint operation in Hull on Thursday 21 April, saw an estimated £500k worth of illicit cigarettes and tobacco taken off the streets.

Hull Central Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), licensing officers and Trading Standards conducted a warrant in the Scott Street area of Hull.

Upon entering a property, hundreds of thousands of illicit cigarettes and packets of tobacco were uncovered and seized. The estimated value of the haul is approximately £500,000.

One man has been arrested and remains in police custody at this time.

PC Karen Walker, of Hull Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This has been one of the biggest finds we have had in our fight against illicit cigarettes and tobacco. It took two police vans and one police car to transport the seized goods.

“This is not just a case of taking cheap tobacco off the streets. We do it to protect people and our communities. Operations such as these have been known to fund organised crime groups, with connections to modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

“I hope that this latest seizure of counterfeit and illicit tobacco products shows that we will take every avenue to disrupt those who are involved in this time of criminality.”

If you have any information about economic crime, please call the non-emergency 101 number, or report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Trading Standards is now leading the investigation.