Huddersfield authorities seized more than 60,000 cigarettes, 25kg of rolling tobacco and £13,000 during an illicit crackdown on duty evaded and counterfeit tobacco in the town.
Operation Torrward saw six venues raided with sniffer dogs, off-licence test purchases and late night patrols all targeting illicit tobacco sales. Five stores were caught selling illicit stock.
PC Steve Nicholls of Kirklees district police said: “We were able to make the streets of Huddersfield safer by taking illegal and illicit cigarettes and counterfeit goods from the shelves.”
Some PCSOs are understood to have volunteered to work on their days off in order to fully staff the illicit crackdown.
David Lodge, Head of West Yorkshire Trading Standards said: “The supply of illegal cigarettes seriously undermines the drive to reduce smoking, fuels organised criminality and is often a gateway for young people to becoming addicted to a habit which prematurely kills over half its users.”
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