Police seize £500,000 of illicit tobacco in one of ‘biggest finds’

HAUL: The seizure was so large it took two vans and a car to transport from the scene. Picture credit: Humberside Police

By Simon Bristow

Police have seized an estimated £500,000 of illicit cigarettes and tobacco in a joint operation with trading standards in Hull this morning.

The raid in the Scott Street area of the city is one of the force’s biggest hauls of illegal tobacco.

Hundreds of thousands of illicit cigarettes and packets of tobacco were found when officers conducted a search under warrant at the property, which has not been identified.

A man was arrested and remained in custody this afternoon.

PC Karen Walker, of Hull Central Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This has been one of the biggest finds we have had in our fight against illicit cigarettes and tobacco. It took two police vans and one police car to transport the seized goods.

PILED HIGH: Some of the boxes of illegal cigarettes and tobacco. Picture credit: Humberside Police

“This is not just a case of taking cheap tobacco off the streets. We do it to protect people and our communities. Operations such as these have been known to fund organised crime groups, with connections to modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

“I hope that this latest seizure of counterfeit and illicit tobacco products shows that we will take every avenue to disrupt those who are involved in this line of criminality.”

The trading standards department of Hull City Council is now leading the investigation.

Anyone with information about economic crime can call the non-emergency 101 number, or report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.