Undercover operation finds illegal cigarettes on sale in Leicester

Undercover investigators have revealed how easy it is to buy illegal cigarettes in shops in Leicester. A team led by ex-Metropolitan Police officer Will O’Reilly visited a number of off-licences and convenience stores in the east of the city last week to determine the scale of the ‘under the counter’ trade. The team, which works for cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris International, was visiting the city for the first time, and stressed it was choosing shops at random.