Derby is ‘hotspot for illicit tobacco, with 35 stores selling it’

TRADING standards officers have warned about the dangers of counterfeit cigarettes in Derby after a report revealed that the city was a “hotspot” for the problem, with about 35 stores selling them.

 

It says that “Derby is a hotspot for illicit tobacco, whether smuggled, bootlegged or counterfeit” and that “illegal tobacco is widely available in many areas, especially poorer communities across the city”. The report, drawn up for the city council’s planning, housing and leisure board, warns that counterfeit cigarettes do not comply with European safety standards. This means that “if left unattended, they will continue to burn through to the end – increasing the risk to the smoker of causing a fire”.