Thousands of illegal cigarettes have been seized by police - prompting officials to issue a strong warning over the health risks Police discovered a total of 3,760 counterfeit cigarettes and more than five kilograms of tobacco at a shop in Market Place, Ilkeston on Wednesday, January 11.
Police said the seized items were worth thousands of pounds. After searching the property concerns were also raised about the state of the building, as officers found a hole in the roof and had concerns over the electrical supply.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service was called in to assess the shop and a Prohibition Notice was issued. The seized cigarettes, tobacco and cash has now been handed over to Derbyshire Trading Standards.
Police Constable Karen Stephenson said: “This is a great result in our investigation into the illegal supply of cigarettes. These shops can often be fronts for organised crime groups whereby they open these shops selling long lasting food stuff just as a front to sell these cigarettes.
“The cigarettes known to be counterfeit can cause huge health concerns as well as the risk of fire in properties as they don’t self-extinguish unlike the UK ones.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Carol Hart, added: "Illegal cigarettes and tobacco may contain additional risks to people’s health as well as threatening the livelihoods of honest businesses and we will continue to work with the police to bring people who sell it to justice.”
Derbyshire Police did not release the name of the shop in question.
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