Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes worth £356k seized in Walsall crackdown
Walsall Trading Standards and West Midlands Police investigated four shops on July 2.
With the help of a specialist dog team, an associated vehicle and a storage unit were also searched as part of the operation, which uncovered approximately 100 kilograms of illegal hand-rolling tobacco, 287,000 illicit cigarettes, and 350 illegal disposable vapes.
READ MORE: 'Extremely dangerous' paedophile died four years into 20-year prison sentence
Sniffer dog Griff excelled at a self-storage yard, and identified a unit containing the illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco.
Some counterfeit cigarettes were concealed inside boxes labelled as barbecues.
Councillor Adam Hicken, Walsall's portfolio holder for enforcement and safe communities, said: "This is another successful operation for the team, and it sends a clear message to criminals in our borough.
"I want to thank our Trading Standards team, West Midlands Police, and of course the stars of the operation, Cooper, Griff, and Bran who helped to sniff out these illegal goods and get them off our streets.
"This isn't a harmless activity. Illegal goods like this not only pose risks to people's health, but can be linked to organised criminal activity too, where vulnerable people may be exploited.
"We need to crack down on the people that think this activity is ok and will come without consequence.
"Our enforcement teams have my full support in taking a zero-tolerance approach to this illegal activity, so we can protect our communities across Walsall."
READ MORE: Bong-smoking woman high on monkey dust rammed police cars during 'dangerous' 105mph chase
Stay up-to-date by following our Twitter feed @birmingham_live or liking our Facebook page.
To get breaking news emailed to you, sign up here, it's free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Police have ‘proportionate and considered' plan ahead of Glasgow Kneecap gig
Police Scotland say they have a 'proportionate and considered policing plan' ahead of Kneecap's gig in Glasgow, which replaces their cancelled slot at the TRNSMT festival. Kneecap were axed from the line-up of TRNSMT in the city amid a row over an investigation by counter-terror police into rapper Mo Chara, who is accused of terrorism offences related to a Hezbollah flag he allegedly held up on stage. The satirical Belfast rap group, who perform in Irish, have been outspoken critics of the war in Gaza and said the prosecution – following an investigation by the Met Police – is linked to their views on Palestine. TRNSMT cancelled Kneecap's performance at the end of May over safety concerns by Police Scotland. On Tuesday, they are set to perform a sold-out gig at the O2 Academy in Glasgow, days before TRNSMT begins on Friday. As well as Kneecap, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar are also performing in Glasgow on Tuesday. Police Scotland say they will aim to minimise disruption in the city. In May, First Minister John Swinney urged for TRNSMT to cancel the performance on July 11, saying that 'organisers of TRNSMT have got to consider that issue.' Mo Chara, also known as Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged under the name Liam O'Hanna by the Metropolitan Police in May, over the alleged display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig, and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 18. The furore led to calls from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch for Glastonbury to cancel a performance from the Belfast rappers on June 28, which the festival organisers did not do. Despite being cancelled from TRNSMT, Kneecap are still due to perform scheduled shows at 2000trees rock festival on July 10, Wythenshawe Park in Manchester on August 15 and Belfast Vital on August 29 – nine days after O hAnnaidh's next court appearance. At the last hearing, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said: 'It's not about Mr O hAnnaidh's support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel. 'He's well within his rights to voice his opinions and solidarity, as is anybody else. 'The allegation in this case is a wholly different thing and deals with a video recording showing that, in November of last year, Mr O hAnnaidh wore and displayed the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organisation, while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'.' Kneecap have said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. Superintendent Paul Douglas said: 'We are aware of a number of events and concerts due to take place in the Greater Glasgow area in the week beginning Monday July 7 2025. 'A proportionate and considered policing plan is in place within the city and we are working with a number of stakeholders to ensure the safety of all those attending these events and where possible minimise disruption to the people of Glasgow.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
First tranche of final report from Horizon scandal inquiry to be published
The first tranche of the long-awaited final report from an inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal is set to be published. More than 900 subpostmasters were wrongfully prosecuted by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015 in what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. Many were wrongly convicted of crimes such as theft and false accounting after faulty Horizon software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts. Subpostmasters' lives were destroyed – with some bankrupted by legal action and sent to prison. On Tuesday, the first volume of the Horizon IT inquiry's final report will be published – covering the devastating impact on the lives of the scandal's victims and the compensation process. The issue of financial redress has frequently been flagged as an issue by subpostmasters – with many still awaiting full compensation. The various compensation schemes have been criticised by victims as unfair and difficult to navigate – processes which lead campaigner Sir Alan Bates has previously described as 'quasi-kangaroo courts'. Retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, the chairman of the probe, will make a public statement following the report's publication. The inquiry was established in 2020, with a number of witnesses giving evidence on the use of Fujitsu's Horizon system, Post Office governance and the legal action taken against subpostmasters. In a previous statement addressing the compensation schemes, the Department for Business and Trade said: 'This Government has quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters to provide them with full and fair redress, with more than £1 billion having now been paid to over 7,300 claimants.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aus marks 20 years since deadly bombings
Australia has marked the 20th anniversary of the horrific 7/7 bombings in London, in which one Australian was killed and eight others injured. On July 7, 2005, four suicide bombers targeted the UK capital's transport network. Three of the bombers detonated at three stations in the London Underground, while the fourth detonated on a bus. They killed 52 and left more than 770 injured. Australian man Sam Ly was on the bus that was attacked. He was pulled from the wreckage but his injuries were too severe and he died a week later. Australian officials laid flowers at the 7 July Memorial Gardens to mark the tragic anniversary. '20 years ago today, London experienced unimaginable horror,' the High Commission posted on social media. 'The 7 July 2005 London transport bombings killed 52 people and injured more than 700 others. 'Australians were not spared from the terror that morning.'
