Great Yarmouth inspections bring total illicit cigarettes seizure in Norfolk to 123,000 since May

10,820 illicit cigarettes and 4kg of rolling tobacco have been seized this week in multiple inspections across Great Yarmouth by Trading Standards officers. 

Six separate premises were targeted in a series of inspections on Tuesday 21 July after Trading Standards received information suggesting illicit goods were kept on the premises. 

Three of the six businesses were found to have illicit tobacco or vapes on site after inspection by officers and trained search dogs. 

Cllr Scott Hussey, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, which includes Trading Standards, said: "We're taking action to tackle the blatant criminality on our high streets across Norfolk. Shops selling cut-price tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes have sprung up everywhere, and there's a reason why - too often they are fronts for organised criminal networks who launder cash and make money at the expense of legitimate traders. 

"Criminal gangs target struggling areas like Great Yarmouth because rents are cheaper and because they think they can get away with it. 

"We've already had considerable success seizing illicit cigarettes and tobacco in this crackdown and over the past couple of months but we also need to stop these traders popping back up, push for prosecutions and strong enforcement, and dismantle the criminal networks behind them. That's why we're working closely with the police, the National Crime Agency, and HMRC. As a council we need extra legal powers to do more and put an end to these businesses that blight our high streets. At the moment we are working with one hand tied behind our back." 

These latest seizures, carried out in partnership with Norfolk Police, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and HMRC, follow a series of inspections across the county in recent months that saw over 123,000 illicit cigarettes seized over the past two months, along with a large quantity of rolling tobacco and illicit vapes. 

Rupert Lowe, Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth, said: "Residents across the Great Yarmouth community are sick and tired of seeing blatant fronts operating on our high streets, when so many law-abiding businesses are suffering from such a challenging economic climate. 

"This is welcome progress. We must continue to push for seizures, prosecutions and deportations where necessary. 

"This latest initiative is an important move towards restoring our high streets in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and Caister. Those operating criminal fronts in our communities must now understand that their days are numbered, and now is the time to leave Great Yarmouth and Norfolk altogether." 

The inspections identified a number of hides for illicit goods within the inspected businesses, with the assistance of Alfie, a search dog trained to find hidden tobacco. 

Cllr Jonathan Wedon, Norfolk County Councillor for Lothingland division in Great Yarmouth, said: "Residents of Great Yarmouth have continuously voiced concern about the long-standing impact illegal activity has on our high streets, including undercutting hard working, honest businesses. 

"Many residents feel these shops are blatant fronts for illicit business activity and that money raised from these sales end up in the pockets of gangs that are involved in drugs, money laundering and even people trafficking. 

"Cracking down on these illicit tobacco sales doesn't just give law abiding shopkeepers a fair chance, its helps restore our high streets.  It also helps keep people safe from some of the worst the criminal underworld has to offer. 

"This initiative is an important step forward for Great Yarmouth, and I'd like to thank all the officers and stakeholders involved and urge anyone with information on similar activity to report it to the proper authorities." 

Cllr Paul Wells, portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, Licensing and Waste at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, which worked with Trading Standards as a partner in the inspections, said: "This successful operation demonstrates the value of our co-ordinated work with Trading Standards, police and HMRC partners. The action is part of sustained and ongoing activity to tackle illegal trading activity in the borough which is sending a clear and forceful message that criminality will be rooted out.'" 

Anyone with information about illegal tobacco sales can help by reporting it through the following channels: 

• If you are being coerced into preparing, distributing or selling illegal tobacco, you can report it to HMRC online by searching 'report fraud HMRC' on GOV.UK, or by contacting the HMRC Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887. 
• Members of the public wishing to report illegal sales of vapes, cigarettes or tobacco can contact Citizens Advice by calling 0808 223 1133. 

In addition to the intelligence led inspections of businesses where illicit tobacco may be sold, Norfolk's Trading Standards officers regularly visit local businesses to inspect goods of all varieties, to identify non-compliance with legal requirements and take enforcement action where necessary. 

A breakdown of illicit cigarettes seized by Trading Standards over the past two months is below: 

• 28 May: 5,740 cigarettes seized from two businesses in Great Yarmouth 
• 4 June: 27,620 cigarettes seized from two businesses in Norwich 
• 10 June:: 42,140 cigarettes seized from four businesses in Great Yarmouth 
• 8 July: 700 cigarettes seized from one business in Eaton 
• 9 July: 24,620 cigarettes seized from one business in Great Yarmouth 
• 16 July: 12,100 cigarettes seized from one business in North Walsham 
• 21 July: 10,820 cigarettes seized from three businesses in Great Yarmouth