Residents are being urged to stay vigilant after Trading Standards officers uncovered more than £20,000 worth of illegal tobacco and related products during targeted inspections.

Across two premises, officers seized 24,460 cigarettes, 17 packs of hand‑rolling tobacco, 24 pouches of chewing tobacco, and 28 mixed vapes.

Unlike legitimate products, illicit tobacco is not subject to quality controls, meaning smokers may be exposed to contaminants, dangerously high nicotine levels, and toxic substances not in regulated items.

The substantial haul, on Monday 30 March, marks one of the most impactful single‑day seizures this year and underlines the council’s continued commitment to tackling illegal tobacco trading and protecting residents from harmful and unregulated products.

Over the course of 2025/26, enforcement activity by Trading Standards has remained proactive and intelligence‑led, disrupting criminal supply chains and protecting residents from harmful products.

The traders involved now face further criminal sanctions, which may include prosecution and closure orders.

Keith Stanger, Director for Enforcement, Regulatory Services and Community Safety, said: “This latest seizure demonstrates the scale of illegal tobacco trading operating behind the scenes and the vital role our Trading Standards officers play in shutting it down.

“Illegal tobacco is not a harmless bargain, it’s often linked to organised crime, exploitation and serious harm. We’ll continue to take robust action to protect our communities and ensure that those who profit from criminal activity are held to account.”

Matthew Cole, Director of Public Health said: “Around two in three regular smokers die from smoking-related illness and unregulated tobacco poses an even greater danger to people’s health. There is no way of knowing what is inside these products, and many contain far higher levels of toxic chemicals than legal cigarettes.

“Illegal tobacco also undermines efforts to reduce smoking rates and puts young people at particular risk. Protecting residents from these harms is a priority, and we encourage everyone to avoid illicit products and report any sellers operating illegally.”

Quitting smoking is not just the single most effective action to improve your health, but saves around £2,338 per year. You are around three times more likely to quit through using Stop Smoking Services, and Barking and Dagenham residents can access free advice and support by contacting healthy.lifestyles@lbbd.gov.uk or 020 8724 8018.

Residents can report illegal activity to the council by emailing tradingstandards@lbbd.gov.uk.