Illegal tobacco worth more than £50,000 has been seized from a storage unit near Lichfield.
Around 71,000 cigarettes and 50kg of hand rolling tobacco were confiscated by Trading Standards officers.
The raid – at the undisclosed location – was part of a wider operation across Staffordshire which has seen almost 1.4million illicit cigarettes seized.
Cllr Victoria Wilson, cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“Our officers continue to tackle the sale and distribution of illicit tobacco and it’s great to hear about yet another successful operation.
“In conjunction with Staffordshire Police, officers discovered significant quantities of counterfeit and illicit items at the premises.
“Illicit and counterfeit tobacco can have serious health implications. It is also closely linked to organised crime and harms local communities and legitimate businesses, so removing it from the market is a priority for the service.”
Cllr Victoria Wilson
People can report the sale of illegal tobacco on the Trading Standards confidential helpline on 01785 330356.
