Two spaniels have helped Cheshire West and Chester Council crackdown on traders selling counterfeit or contraband tobacco in the borough.
Bertie, a Sprollie, a Springer and Collie cross and Beck, a Springer spaniel, were enlisted to help in the campaign in Chester city centre and sniffed out 1,580 cigarettes and 500g of tobacco which were subsequently seized.
The operation led to one arrest and a further person being interviewed under caution.
The illicit products were impounded during raids in Chester city centre carried out by trading standards officers working alongside Cheshire Police.
The two dogs, provided by North Wales based Wagtail UK Ltd, helped detect the concealed stashes of tobacco in premises in the city.
Seizures included cigarettes and tobacco that failed to contain UK health warnings, did not comply with labelling requirements and cannot be legally sold in the UK.
Team players
Ellesmere Port Strawberry ward councillor Mark Henesy (Lab), cabinet member for environment and community, said: “Tobacco detection dogs have become valued members of our regulatory services team.
“People may be tempted by the cheap price tag but it’s worth considering the great cost to your health, safety and community.
“Illegal tobacco supports other criminal activity and has many damaging effects on our local communities as well as causing poor health.
“Dogs like Bertie and Beck can find tobacco and cigarettes even if they are hidden in the most unlikely places. Offenders need to know that they will face prosecution if they choose to deal in these illegal products.”
The raids were carried out as part of the ongoing Operation Henry 2, launched last year and supported by the Department of Health.
The initiative, the first large scale coordinated trading standards investigation of its kind to tackle the supply of illegal tobacco, resulted in the seizure of more than 2.5m cigarettes nationwide worth £614,488 with concealed tobacco products found in walls, under floorboards and inside furniture.
Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco can pass the details on to Trading Standards confidentially through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 or alternatively anonymously call the Tackling Illegal Tobacco hotline on 0300 999 0000. Details can also be reported online at www.keep-it-out.co.uk .
