Illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes seized during multi-agency operation in Ringwood and Totton

Another successful joint-partnership operation has again resulted in the seizure of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes from stores in the New Forest.

This time, shops in Ringwood and Totton were the focus of the day of action against businesses selling suspected illegal items.

Last Wednesday (27 May), officers from Modern Slavery & Organised Immigration Crime (MSOIC), Totton Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) and Totton NPT joined forces with Trading Standards (Hampshire County Council), who led the operation.

Following information received from our communities, they visited shops in the towns to carry out enforcement.

At the Ringwood store, three packets of tobacco, 11 pouches of non-compliant nicotine and approximately 30 items of food and drink, with non-compliant labelling issues, were all seized.

An associated vehicle, suspected of being linked to the shop, was also searched and found to contain 142 packets of cigarettes (2,840 cigarette sticks) and 11 pouches (50g) of hand-rolled tobacco. These items were also seized.

At the Totton store, 216 packets of cigarettes (4,320 cigarette sticks), 46 pouches (50g) of hand-rolled tobacco, 156 illicit vapes and 50 food and drink items were all seized.

The total high street value of the seized items, had they been sold, would have been £3,326.

The total high street value of the equivalent compliant cigarettes and hand-rolled tobacco would have been £8,529.

Speaking after the operation, PC Antony Waghorn, of MSOIC, said: “Following hot on the heels of a similar operation In New Milton earlier this month, we have joined forces to once more demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting our communities from illegal and harmful activity.

This joined-up approach is essential in us removing illegal items from the shelves, including cigarettes, tobacco and vapes, and ensuring the safety and welfare of the workers in these stores.

“The type of criminality we’ve been targeting is exploitative. It takes advantage of people, harms local residents, and undermines legitimate businesses, those who are obeying the law in order to make a legal profit.

“We will continue to work together with Trading Standards and other partners to identify those higher up the chain, those who profit from these offences, and ensure they are held to account.

“As we always say, there’s consequences to actions and we will continue enforce these.

“Finally, huge thanks must again go to members of the community, including local shoppers and workers, for their information and support with this type of operation.”

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