Bootleg cigirette haul sniffed out at shops
Smuggled cigarettes and tobacco with a black market value of about £7,000 were found hidden in two shops in Shropshire.
The stash was found in hideaways including a fake wall and tucked away within trays of beer cans.
Sniffer dog Bradley, a springer spaniel, helped to find the booty.
The haul was seized from two shops targeted by Shropshire Council's public protection officers, supported by West Mercia Police officers.
They have declined, for legal reasons, to identify the shops involved.
Grant Tunnadine, investigations team manager for Shropshire Council's public protection service, said smuggled goods had been found in an opened out wall space behind a mirror in the toilet of a store in Market Drayton and in a narrow cavity behind a fake wall in a storeroom of a shop Oswestry.
"Another hiding place used was within trays of cans of beer with the middle cans removed."
The seizure of about 18,000 cigarettes and 17kg of rolling tobacco included a range of brands believed to be counterfeit or bootlegged which cannot be legally sold in the UK.
Ingenuity
Investigations are ongoing into the activities of the retailers in question.
Mr Tunnadine said: "With Bradley there to indicate the presence of tobacco, it enables us to direct our attention to specific areas within the shop and storage areas.
"It is debatable whether we would have found as much as we did without the dog, who was brilliant.
"It is clear that the people involved in this illegal trade have used some ingenuity to hide their stock, but all that effort is worthless really because with the dog on board we will find it, seize it and take action against those involved."
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council's cabinet member responsible for public protection, said: "It is disappointing that illicit tobacco has been identified in retail premises within the county.
"However, despite the lengths that these traders have gone to hide their illicit product, we are still able to combat this damaging illegal trade. The detection dogs can find tobacco and cigarettes even if hidden in the most unlikely places.
"Those involved in dealing in illegal tobacco may be encouraging people, including children, to smoke by providing a cheap source. As well as the obvious health concerns that this raises, a lot of legitimate businesses in Shropshire are losing customers to the illegal trade in tobacco.
"Offenders need to know that they will face consequences if they choose to deal in these illegal products," he added.
People concerned about products can call the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06, Shropshire Council's public protection team works in partnership with them.
