ILLEGAL cigarettes and tobacco worth almost £150,000 has been seized from a mini market in Evesham this week (Tuesday, November 12).
The haul of counterfeit products, totaling a street value of £145,000, was discovered hidden in an upstairs storeroom at Evesham Grocers Limited on Port Street following an engagement visit.
Officers from Evesham Town Centre Team worked with partners at Worcestershire Trading Standards as they uncovered one of the biggest hauls of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco in recent years.
A small quantity of illegal vapes were also seized. The shop has now been identified for further investigations by Trading Standards. Investigations could lead to the stores licence being revoked or a forced closure.
Police Sergeant Duncan Eades of Evesham Town Centre Team said: “We carried out this store visit in response to community concerns around the illegal sale of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco there.
“Illegal tobacco products like these are often linked to serious and organised crime so it’s important we continue our work to seize them before they go on sale and continue to fund potential criminal enterprises.
“We will not cease in our work with partners to act on community concerns and disrupt such operations in the future.”
