Joint operation stubs out illegal tobacco caches in Flint

THOUSANDS of illegal cigarettes and three kilograms of tobacco have been seized from three stores.

 

About 63,000 cigarettes as well as 3kg of hand rolling tobacco were seized from three stores in Flint in a joint operation between Flintshire Council’s Trading Standards officers and North Wales Police.

 

The tobacco had been hidden away in a specially constructed shop counter which contained a hidden compartment with an electronically controlled sliding door.

 

Pepper had been liberally sprayed all over the products in an attempt to hide the tobacco from specialist sniffer dogs used to identify illicit goods.

 

Investigations in to the source of the cigarettes are ongoing.

 

Inspector Ceri Hawe from North Wales Police said: “We attended three premises in Flint to assist Flintshire Trading Standards in executing warrants. Significant quantities of illicit tobacco were recovered.