Thousands Illegal Vapes, Cigarettes Seized in Huntingdon, Grimsby, Warrington Raids

Multiple coordinated operations across various UK towns have targeted the illegal trade and distribution of vapes and tobacco products, resulting in the seizure of thousands of illicit items. In Huntingdon, authorities including police, council officials, and fire services conducted a multi-agency day of action that involved business compliance checks, waste management reviews, and the confiscation of over 500 illegal vapes, emphasizing the health risks and criminal funding linked to these products. Similarly, in Warrington, environmental crime officers discovered a large quantity of illegal vapes illegally dumped, believed to be discarded to avoid proper disposal costs following a UK-wide ban on certain disposable vaping products, and an investigation is underway. In Grimsby, sniffer dog Griff and his handler, working with Trading Standards and police, uncovered thousands of illegal vapes and cigarettes hidden in concealed compartments within shops, highlighting the ongoing prevalence and sophisticated concealment methods used in the illicit tobacco trade. Local officials stressed the importance of multi-agency collaboration in these operations to protect public health and safety and ensure compliance with new regulations on vaping and tobacco products. Overall, these enforcement efforts reflect a broader crackdown on illegal vaping and tobacco products to mitigate health risks and uphold legal trade standards.