More than £1 million worth of suspected illegally imported cigarettes and tobacco have been seized from a home in Sunderland. The haul was discovered following a joint investigation by Northumbria Police and Sunderland City Council, with HMRC now leading an ongoing inquiry.
Joint operation uncovers huge haul
Officers from the Houghton Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), the HALO team, and the council’s Trading Standards team made the discovery at a property in the Easington Lane area last month. They recovered 188,640 packets of cigarettes and 74.75 kilograms of hand rolling tobacco, all believed to be illegal.
The seizure is being investigated by HMRC.
Partnership praised
Sgt Paul Wilson, of Northumbria Police’s Sunderland Area Command, said: “This is a brilliant example of partnership working helping us to uncover a huge number of suspected illicit cigarettes and tobacco, hitting organised crime in the pocket. By working alongside the local authority, we are able to share intelligence and target those we think are engaging in illegal activity.”
He added: “We rely on the public to be our eyes and ears so if you do have information which can assist in our work, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and provide details to us. Together, we can help keep our neighbourhoods as safe as possible for all.”
Council urges public to report illegal sales
Coun Bill Blackett, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Enforcement, said: “This seizure demonstrates the importance of partnership working between Sunderland City Council and Northumbria Police. By combining our resources and expertise, we can take robust action against those who seek to profit from the sale of illicit goods.
“The sale of illegal tobacco undermines legitimate local businesses, can fuel organised criminal activity, and can make tobacco products more accessible to children and young people. I would urge anyone who comes across the sale of illegal tobacco and any other prohibited products to report it so we can tackle these illegal sales and protect our communities.”
