Thursday 3rd July 2008
(ref:
201/2008)
Trading Standards and Customs officers have confiscated large amounts of tobacco and counterfeit vodka after swooping on pubs, off-licences, shops and homes in the borough.
Wigan Council’s Trading Standards team assisted HM Customs officer in the seizure of more than 17,000 illegal cigarettes, along with 15kg of loose tobacco and 18 bottles of Glens Vodka, most of which are believed to be fake.
The rest of the items that were seized are believed to be non-UK duty paid.
Wigan Council’s Chief Trading Standards Officer Julie Middlehurst says the teams were reacting to complaints made by members of the public.
“One of the most alarming aspects about this operation was that someone at a private house in Leigh was selling tobacco openly via the front door,” Julie says. “In fact the majority of tobacco we confiscated came from that address.”
The counterfeit items will now be analysed to determine exactly what they contain.
Julie adds: “People often think they are just buying genuine cigarettes cheaply but the majority were counterfeit and therefore there are no controls over what harmful substances may have been used to make them.”
“We are concerned about the seemingly widespread availability of counterfeits in the area and our investigations are continuing.”
- The team urges anyone with information about illegal sales of tobacco and alcohol to call the Consumer Direct helpline in confidence on 08454 04 05 06 (calls charged at local rate).
