BWY Canine detection dogs sniff out £300,000 of illegal goods

Cooper and Yoyo, from Pembrokeshire specialist detection dog company, BWY Canine have recently helped track down more than 216,000 illegal cigarettes and 350 kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco.

They were working as part of Operation CeCe, a national campaign which focuses on joint working between trading standards and HM Revenue and Customs.

The dogs led officers to a self-storage unit in north Croydon on Wednesday, December 1.

The majority of the tobacco was non-duty paid and suspected to have been smuggled into the country. A proportion was believed to be counterfeits of popular brands, which are likely to contain harmful substances and may not self-extinguish.

The seized products will now be fully assessed as part of an inquiry to determine the exact offences that have been committed.

Anyone who is prosecuted and convicted of being involved in selling or supplying illegal tobacco can face penalties including up to 10 years in prison and an unlimited fine.

“Illegal tobacco is sold ‘under the counter’ away from the legitimate products, sold at markets or privately via online unofficial selling platforms,” said Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, Croydon Council cabinet member for communities, safety and business recovery.

“Illegal cigarettes often do not include correct health warnings and appear in colourful packaging as opposed to the legal standardised packaging which uses only one specific deep green colour.

“Far from being a victimless crime, illegal tobacco trading provides affordable access for children and young people, makes it harder for people to give up as the product is cheaper, and affects the trade of legitimate retailers. This also supports the organised criminal gangs who smuggle the tobacco in and sell it on which has deep links to modern-day slavery.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all those involved in this operation. The work you have undertaken has been fantastic and will benefit many of our residents.”