Council's 'detection dogs' sniff out £6,500 illegal tobacco and cigarettes

2.5kg counterfeit tobacco and 9,000 illegal cigarettes were seized from just three businesses in the borough

Haringey Council has seized £6,500 worth of illegal tobacco and cigarettes that were on sale in the borough.

Enlisting their “detection dogs” Dipper and Sky, 9,000 illegal cigarettes and 2.5kg of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco were sniffed out at just three businesses during visits made together with Trading Standards.

The council say that during one visit to an off license in Bounds Green, an employee was ‘caught off guard’ and exited the shop holding a waistcoat containing 640 illegal cigarettes which were not duty paid as well as a packet of tablets which are not licenced for sale in the UK outside of registered pharmacies.

Another shop on Lordship Lane is also set to face enforcement action, after the dogs discovered a locked metal cabinet in the garden of an adjacent premises, with keys onsite in the shop – containing 6,800 illegal cigarettes and over 2kg of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco.

On Green Lanes, a shop held 1600 cigarettes and 500g of hand rolling tobacco. The council say that when confronted by their officers, staff directed them to speak to the ‘alleged manager’: “However, this was in fact an attempt to pass carrier bags over the counter to a man on the customer side.”

Cllr Adam Jogee, cabinet member for community safety and cohesion, said: “Thanks to our trading standard officers and our two amazing detection dogs, Dipper and Sky, we have prevented the sale of illegal tobacco being sold to our residents.

“These efforts are a crucial step forward as continue to uphold the integrity of our local markets, protect the community as well as curb the illegal tobacco trade in our borough.

“The health and wellbeing of local people will always remain a top priority. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure those who do not obey the law are faced with tough enforcement action. In other words, tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime”

The council has said a full investigation will be carried out.

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