Sniffing out illegal tobacco in Buckinghamshire

In a bid to tackle sales of illegal tobacco, officers from Buckinghamshire Council’s Public Health team, Be Healthy Bucks, Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards and Pippa from Wagtails UK are taking to the streets of Aylesbury and High Wycombe to ask for the public’s help to crack down on this criminal activity.

Illegal tobacco includes:

• tobacco or cigarettes with no legal market in the UK, often from Eastern Europe – sometimes known as ‘cheap whites’
• UK brands which are smuggled into the country and sold without duty being paid
• counterfeit/fakes – illegally manufactured and made to look like recognised brands

The supply of illegal tobacco is often linked to criminals who are involved in other criminal activities. These illegal products are then sold in our communities through private houses, ‘under the counter’ in shops, pubs and clubs, through social media and even on the street or by ice cream vans.

Illegal tobacco makes it easier for children to access cigarettes and start smoking. Cheap tobacco encourages smokers to keep smoking and to smoke more. It also makes it harder for them to quit smoking.

Sniffer dog Pippa will be on hand to demonstrate her skills at sniffing out illegal tobacco at two roadshows in the county:

• High Wycombe Market, 22 August, 9am - 3:30pm
• Aylesbury Market Square, 23 August, 9am – 2pm

The aim of the roadshows is to educate the public about how to spot the signs of illegal tobacco including what the risk and dangers are, and how to report sales. The teams also welcome anonymous tips and offer guidance on where local support is available to help people stop smoking.

Pippa’s handler said:

“Pippa is an ex-rescue dog and has found millions of pounds worth of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco in locations across the UK. Stashes are often hidden behind fake walls or in unusual locations secured by electro-magnets and operated by remote control devices, so Pippa and her talents are essential to the investigative team.”

Angela Macpherson, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, commented:

“All tobacco is harmful, but illegal tobacco poses an additional threat to our children and communities.

“Far from being a victimless crime, the illegal tobacco trade makes it easier for children to start smoking, takes advantage of cash-strapped families, and helps fund low-level and large-scale organised crime. People selling cheap, illegal tobacco at pocket-money prices are likely to be selling other things illegally (drugs, fake branded goods and alcohol etc), exposing Buckinghamshire’s children to even more dangers.

“Not only does smoking remain one of the UK’s biggest causes of premature death but we also know that the availability of cheap, illegal tobacco helps recruit the next generation of smokers and undermines initiatives to help adults quit smoking.”

Carl Jackson, Buckinghamshire Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, said:

“There is a lot of work being done across the county to tackle illegal tobacco but we need the eyes and ears of the public to support us in our efforts to stamp it out and protect our communities. Anyone wishing to report the selling of illegal tobacco can do so anonymously online to Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk or call the Illegal Tobacco Hotline on 0300 999 6 999.”

The sale of illegal tobacco is a criminal offence. From 20 July 2023, new sanctions came into force which mean businesses and individuals selling illicit tobacco can receive a penalty of up to £10,000.

Find out more about how to spot the signs of illegal tobacco.