Illegal Tobacco Seized During Multi Agency Task Force

[Hereford Voice]

Illegal Tobacco Seized During On 17th January 2018, a Multi Agency Task Force carried out search warrants on premises operating as 'mini markets' in Eign Gate Hereford and Drapers Lane, Leominster.

 

Multi Agency Task Force of Trading Standards, Police, Fire Service and Immigration in action! Tobacco was secreted within very sophisticated and specifically made devices.

 

These pieces of criminal ingenuity were quickly 'deconstructed' by a crew from Hfd Fire Station! 

 

Assisted by a specialist trained tobacco sniffer dog, numerous 'stashes' of illicit tobacco were located.

 

The tobacco was secreted within very sophisticated and specifically made devices operated by hydraulic remote control drawers and lifts, said PC Duncan Reynolds, from Hereford Harm Reduction unit.

 

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These expensive pieces of criminal ingenuity were quickly deconstructed by members of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service with state of the art cutting equipment.�

 

In total 1,920 packets of fake and non-duty paid tobacco was seized along with 132 packets of hand rolling tobacco. This equates to approximately 33,000 cigarettes and £15,000 duty evasion.

 

Four people were arrested during the raids for various offences and questioned by enforcement officers from several agencies.

 

One person was identified as being illegally in the UK.

 

The investigation is ongoing as enquiries continue.

 

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People who purchase tobacco from such premises are putting their health at an additionally high risk, as many other waste products are mixed with the tobacco prior to packaging it, in order to maximise profit,

added Mr Reynolds.

 

The public are requested to pass any information with regard to the sale of illicit tobacco to either the Police, Trading Standards or Crimestoppers.

 

This information can be passed anonymously and will help to build the intelligence around this highly organised form of offending.

[Hereford Voice]

 

 

 

 

[bobby47]

For the scale of the problem that's here in Hereford and the highly expensive costs associated with just one warrant that generates so much time and money placed upon limited resources, what's the bloody point? Let it be. It's not going to be stopped until they come at the problem from another way.

Either close these shops down or leave them be and let them get on with it. It's all a waste of time and money. As an aside,,,,The Hereford Harm Reduction Unit! What a load of boll.ock.s! It's typical of the 'nowadays'. Give something an exciting, interesting or even an exotic name and it's all supposed to be great and wonderful. It's a load rubbish cobbled together by people unable to think in straight lines.

[H.Wilson]

This is all very sophisticated but 10 to or 10 for the imagination. Unfortunately they will end up with just another slap on the wrist, what actually needs to happen he is the culprits needs a prison sentence and the shop needs to be closed down! This will send a clear signal to others but as it stands it is become more of a farce and a micky take