'Dangerous illegal cigarettes' seized in shop raid

Lambeth’s Trading Standards officers have seized a massive haul of illegal cigarettes from a shop in the centre of Brixton.

The officers, working closely with the police, raided the premises and confiscated more than 150,000 cigarettes that had been illegally imported and were likely to be counterfeit.

Trading Standards officer Bernard Conmy said: “The trade in these cigarettes denies the country of millions of pounds of revenue that could be used for schools and hospitals and it encourages criminal gangs to operate in our area.

"Counterfeit cigarettes contain all sorts of rubbish and are an even greater health risk than normal cigarettes.”

Tests on seized counterfeit cigarettes found they contained up to 160% more tar; 80% more nicotine; 133% more carbon monoxide and five times the level of cadmium (a carcinogen linked to lung, kidney and digestive tract damage) than genuine cigarettes.

Government toxicologists also found that “counterfeit cigarettes have the potential to deliver consistently high levels of heavy metals to the lungs."

Counterfeiters often“bulk out” the tobacco in their product with other substances like manure.

Throughout this year Trading Standards officers have been raiding premises selling illegal cigarettes every month.

Councillor Lib Peck, Cabinet Member for environment and culture, said: “We need to protect people from the incredibly harmful effects of these dangerous illegal products.

"Our officers are doing a great job in keeping counterfeit cigarettes off the streets and out of our community.”

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