MORE than £100,000 worth of carefully concealed illegal and potentially dangerous tobacco has been seized by West Yorkshire Police.
Officers from West Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Trading Standards are continuing to investigate after seizing a high-value haul of goods in a joint operation on Monday, October 23.
Officers said they were surprised by how they had been concealed, describing the methods as like something from a James Bond film.
False Fuse Box (Image: police)
Police said in one case, a false fuse on an electrical consumer board released the board to reveal a hidden cupboard filled with illegal tobacco.
In another, there was a section of hinged false wall hidden behind a bathroom mirror which slid up within the frame it was in.
The joint teams visited retailers in the Dewsbury area with a specialist drugs dog in the operation.
In addition to the tobacco, a number of illegal disposable vapes were seized containing more than the legal maximum of 2ml of liquid, around 600 puffs.
The operation was the latest in a series of raids by police and West Yorkshire Trading Standards in Kirklees to clamp down on illegal and counterfeit goods sales.
Tobacco Hidden Behind Concealed Bathroom Panel (Image: West Yorkshire Police)
In August police and trading standards officers seized 12,000 cigarettes, four kg of hand rolling tobacco, and 4,500 vapes with a retail value of £45,000 in an operation in Huddersfield.
Sergeant Stuart Clarke, of the Dewsbury and Mirfield Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We know that money raised from illegal tobacco sales can be used to directly fund organised crime and through this operation, West Yorkshire Trading Standards and police have dealt a substantial blow to the criminals benefitting from the supply of illegal and illicit tobacco in communities.
“Through working together we removed in excess of £100k worth of illegal and potentially dangerous tobacco products were removed from stores carrying illegal goods.
false fuse box Inside False Fuse Box (Image: police)
“Investigations will continue to identify supply routes and Police Licensing Officers will consider breaches of the premises licence.”
He added: “Some of the premises had hidden the tobacco in specially designed hides, reminiscent of James Bond-style gadgets.
“In one case a false fuse on an electrical consumer board released the board to reveal a hidden cupboard filled with illegal tobacco.
“Anyone with information about the supply of illicit tobacco is encouraged to contact Trading Standards Confidential reporting system at www.keep-it-out.co.uk or via independent crime prevention charity Crime Stoppers on 0800555111."
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