Illegal vapes and cigarettes worth £1.6m seized

Illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes with a retail value of more than £1.6m have been seized in Lancashire.

They were found in an empty trade premises next to a shop in Oswaldtwistle.

About 100,000 packs of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco and hundreds of non-regulation vapes were found in what Lancashire County Council said was one of the biggest ever trading standards seizures in the Hyndburn borough.

The team also used a sniffer dog to help hunt down thousands of hidden illegal vapes and cigarettes as part of a crackdown at shops across Preston.

The tobacco detection dog, Sky, is a working cocker spaniel trained to sniff out hidden compartments of tobacco, vapes and money.

The dog found stashes of cannabis, illegal prescription drugs and antibiotics in hidden compartments and in backyards.

A total of 1,642 packs of illegal tobacco and 651 non compliant vapes were seized during the operation last month in the New Hall Lane and Friargate areas, with one trader trying to evade detection by throwing suitcases full of tobacco on the roof.

Councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Lancashire County Council said Sky the sniffer dog "did a very thorough job" in a "fantastic way of protecting residents from unsafe goods from unscrupulous traders".

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