Police and trading standards seize over 3,000 illegal cigarettes from Midlothian shop
Police and trading standards officers have seized more than 3,000 illegal cigarettes from a shop in Midlothian.
Midlothian Council said its trading standards team, assisted by Police Scotland and Consumer Protection Dogs UK, seized a total of 3,620 illegal cigarettes and 800g of tobacco from a shop in Dalkeith.
This haul follows the same shop having nearly 10,000 cigarettes seized in two visits last year and other reports of illegal activity. The business could now face heavy fines from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Midlothian trading standards is part of Operation CeCe Scotland, a nationwide partnership between Scottish councils and the HMRC together with Police to tackle the retail sale of illegal tobacco products.
They said the use premises like this shop as a front for the sale of illegal tobacco was becoming increasingly common across the country.
Counterfeit cigarettes can pose a greater risk than normal cigarettes because they could contain higher levels of harmful and unknown chemicals and can also be a fire hazard since they are unlikely to have been been treated so a left cigarette extinguishes itself.
Tell-tale signs of counterfeit goods are said to include cheap price and packaging, the absence of health warnings and health warnings which are not in English.
Midlothian Council leader Kelly Parry said: “I welcome this seizure of illegal tobacco products. Our partnership working with Police Scotland and the HMRC is vital work which is helping to take illegitimate tobacco products off our streets and thereby protecting local communities and honest businesses. This seizure sends a clear message that this type of activity will not be tolerated."