In the secret stash of the store where illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes were found

An illegal haul of £20,000 worth of disposable cigarettes, tobacco and vapes has been seized from a Walsall shop, hidden under counters, in storage and on shelves. Power tools were needed to break into a store’s purpose-built wall hideout to glean the secret.

Raids took place at five shops in the city and an associated vehicle on May 8. Walsall Trading Standards teamed up with West Midlands Police and a specialist sniffer dog team after being tipped off about the illegal sale of tobacco.

More than 10,000 cigarettes, 2kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco and 700 illegal disposable vapes were found. Some of the vapes contained up to 15,000 puffs, significantly more than the legal limit of 600. A man was also arrested by police in connection with an immigration offence.

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Councilor Garry Perry, Deputy Leader of Walsall and Portfolio Holder for Resilient Communities, said “I would like to thank the Trading Standards team for ensuring that this type of crime is not allowed to continue in Walsall.

“Tobacco bought on the illegal market is more likely to be the result of organized criminal activity, which brings crime to Walsall and exploits vulnerable people. Many traders are prepared to sell to children and lure them into smoking and vaping, which is unacceptable and dangerous.”