£40,000 of illegal tobacco and illicit vapes seized during crackdown

Nation.Cymru staff

More than £40,000 worth of illegal tobacco has been seized and a suspect arrested during a multi-agency crackdown on illicit goods.

Trading Standards officers joined Gwent Police’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation Team, Immigration Enforcement, Environmental Health and the Regional Trading Standards Tobacco Enforcement Team for enforcement visits in the Risca area as part of Operation CeCe.

Two premises were searched during the operation, which targets the supply of illegal tobacco and vaping products linked to organised crime.

Officers seized illegal tobacco products with an estimated street value of more than £40,000. One person was also arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis and THC-containing vapes with intent to supply.

Investigations are continuing and further enforcement action is planned across Caerphilly County Borough.

Cabinet member for Planning and Public Protection, Cllr Philippa Leonard, said: “Operations such as this demonstrate our commitment to protecting residents, supporting legitimate local businesses and tackling criminal activity within our communities.

“The sale of illegal tobacco and illicit vaping products undermines responsible retailers, poses significant health risks and can often be linked to wider criminality. By working closely with our enforcement partners, we are sending a clear message that this type of activity will not be tolerated.

“I would like to thank all the officers involved for their professionalism and dedication in carrying out this successful operation.”

Inspector Shaun Banfield, of Gwent Police, said neighbourhood policing teams worked throughout the year with partners to tackle issues affecting local communities.

“As well as addressing the obvious potential health risks posed by the sale of illicit or unregulated vaping products, operations like these help us investigate potential links to organised crime groups and build investigations to disrupt their operation, remove illicit products from the streets, safeguard residents and put criminals behind bars,” he said.

“I hope this work reassures residents that if you have concerns about problem premises, you can report them to us and we will work with our partners to take action.”