#illegalcigarettes — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #illegalcigarettes, aggregated by home.social.
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https://www.europesays.com/africa/315724/ Alleged cigarette smuggler Mazzotti admitted to illegal tobacco trading, Madlanga commission hears #AdrianoMazzotti #Editor’sChoice #IllegalCigarettes #MadlangaCommission #SouthAfrica #Tobacco
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Muswellbrook councillor manages shop that sells illegal tobacco
A New South Wales regional councillor is managing a tobacco shop, which the ABC has found sells illegal…
#Australia #AU #Austrlia #cheapsmokes #cigarettes #illegalcigarettes #muswellbrook #MuswellbrookCouncil #RohitMahajan #tobacco #TSGMuswellbrook #upperhunter
https://www.europesays.com/australia/32673/ -
Customs Seize 5.6 Million Smuggled Cigarettes Near Turkish Border
Μake us preferred on Google Customs officers have seized more than 5.6 million bootleg cigarettes concealed inside a…
#EuropeSays #Turkiye #Türkiye #illegalcigarettes #Smuggling #Turkish
https://www.europesays.com/turkiye/16153/ -
Latvia is becoming a hub for illegal cigarettes in Europe https://www.byteseu.com/1944306/ #CounterfeitCigarettes #EuromonitorInternational #EuropeanUnion #Featured #IllegalCigarettes #Latvia #smuggling
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Swansea shopkeeper jailed after £45k stash of illegal vapes found hidden in toilet and bed
Illegal haul uncovered in High Street shop
Trading Standards raided Snoop Vape Store on Swansea’s High Street in July last year, finding a “significant amount” of illegal tobacco and oversized disposable vapes. Some were concealed in a hidden compartment inside the shop, while others were discovered behind a secret panel in the toilet.
Officers seized 52 packets of illegal cigarettes and 714 disposable vapes during the initial search.
Flat search reveals even bigger stash
Investigators later located Arif’s flat in Griffith John Street, where they found an even larger cache: 1,353 packets of illegal tobacco, 468 illegal vapes and £1,690 in cash. Some of the stock had been hidden in the base of a bed.
Prosecutors said the total value of the illegal products was just under £45,000, with some vapes containing liquid reservoirs up to 20 times the legal limit.
Judge: ‘The seriousness cannot be overstated’
Judge Huw Rees, sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, said the sale of unlawful tobacco and vapes was an increasing problem across the UK and warned that the seriousness of the issue “cannot be overstated”. He said Arif’s operation showed clear planning and sophistication.
Arif, who came to the UK from Iraq in 2020, told the court he had been motivated by a desire to send money home to his ill mother. His barrister said he had found six months on remand “isolating” due to his limited English.
The court also heard Arif had previously worked in a Lincolnshire shop that was issued with a closure notice in January 2025 after illegal tobacco and vapes were found there.
Police: ‘These products are unsafe’
PC James Rees, South Wales Police, said:
“The issue of vape shops selling illegal e‑cigarettes and tobacco is one that we are working hard alongside Trading Standards in order to address in Swansea city centre.
These illegal products are unsafe and can cause significant health risks to those unsuspecting people who purchase these products from shops which knowingly operate in contradiction to the law.
Halkawt Arif played his part in that, and for that it is right that he is going to prison.”
Judge Rees ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all seized items. Arif will serve up to half his 16‑month sentence in custody before being released on licence. The judge noted he may be liable for deportation, but said that decision rests with the Home Office.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Taibach vape shop shut down after selling illegal cigarettes and vapes
Trading Standards close another premises after uncovering illicit tobacco and oversized vapes.Council wins vape shop closure order
A court grants a closure order following reports of illegal vape sales to young people.Illegal disposable vapes seized from Neath Port Talbot shops
Hundreds of banned single‑use vapes removed from local stores in a joint operation.Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
#GriffithJohnStreet #illegalCigarettes #illegalTobacco #illegalVapes #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #TradingStandards #vapes
A city‑wide enforcement sweep sees multiple shops closed over illicit products. -
Vape shop shut down after illegal stock and cannabis seized in Port Talbot
Mr. Vape, on Station Road, was hit with a closure order at Swansea Magistrates Court after repeated reports of suspicious and illegal activity — including claims the shop was selling illicit products to children.
Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards Team said the business had been linked to counterfeit and non‑tax‑paid tobacco, illegal cigarettes and oversized vapes. During a search in late 2025, officers seized illegal cigarettes, tobacco and a quantity of cannabis.
A District Judge approved the closure under Section 80 of the Anti‑Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The shop’s owner did not attend the hearing.
The crackdown follows the UK‑wide ban on single‑use disposable vapes, which became illegal to sell on 1 June 2025.
Cllr Cen Phillips, Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said:
“Trading Standards work hard at protecting the public and the vulnerable from illegal tobacco and vape sales. Considerable work has gone into obtaining these closure orders, and the team will continue to use the resources at their disposal to combat this illegal trade.
I would urge anyone who cares about their community and their children’s health to report any information they have relating to illegal tobacco or vape sales.”
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Taibach vape shop shut down after selling illegal cigarettes and vapes
Trading Standards close another premises after uncovering illicit tobacco and oversized vapes.Council wins vape shop closure order
A court grants a closure order following reports of illegal vape sales to young people.Illegal disposable vapes seized from Neath Port Talbot shops
Hundreds of banned single‑use vapes removed from local stores in a joint operation.Nine Swansea vape shops shut down in major crackdown on illegal sales
#CllrCenPhillips #counterfeitCigarettes #illegalCigarettes #illegalTobacco #illegalVapes #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PortTalbot #TradingStandards #vapes
A city‑wide enforcement sweep sees multiple shops closed over illicit products. -
Global News BC: Ilegal cigarette trade subject of BC Crimestoppers training conference https://globalnews.ca/news/9680787/ilegal-cigarette-trade-subject-of-bc-crimestoppers-training-conference/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #illicittradeprevention #Contrabandcigarettes #illegalcigarettes #BCCrimestoppers #OrganizedCrime #KelownaRCMP #Vancouver #BCRCMP #Surrey #Crime #RCMP
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Global News BC: Ilegal cigarette trade subject of BC Crimestoppers training conference https://globalnews.ca/news/9680787/ilegal-cigarette-trade-subject-of-bc-crimestoppers-training-conference/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #illicittradeprevention #Contrabandcigarettes #illegalcigarettes #BCCrimestoppers #OrganizedCrime #KelownaRCMP #Vancouver #BCRCMP #Surrey #Crime #RCMP
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Global News BC: Ilegal cigarette trade subject of BC Crimestoppers training conference https://globalnews.ca/news/9680787/ilegal-cigarette-trade-subject-of-bc-crimestoppers-training-conference/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #illicittradeprevention #Contrabandcigarettes #illegalcigarettes #BCCrimestoppers #OrganizedCrime #KelownaRCMP #Vancouver #BCRCMP #Surrey #Crime #RCMP
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Global News BC: Ilegal cigarette trade subject of BC Crimestoppers training conference https://globalnews.ca/news/9680787/ilegal-cigarette-trade-subject-of-bc-crimestoppers-training-conference/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #illicittradeprevention #Contrabandcigarettes #illegalcigarettes #BCCrimestoppers #OrganizedCrime #KelownaRCMP #Vancouver #BCRCMP #Surrey #Crime #RCMP
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Global News BC: Ilegal cigarette trade subject of BC Crimestoppers training conference https://globalnews.ca/news/9680787/ilegal-cigarette-trade-subject-of-bc-crimestoppers-training-conference/ #globalnews #britishcolumbia #news #illicittradeprevention #Contrabandcigarettes #illegalcigarettes #BCCrimestoppers #OrganizedCrime #KelownaRCMP #Vancouver #BCRCMP #Surrey #Crime #RCMP