Illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes seized by Southend Council Trading Standards and Essex Police following raids on premises across the city
In a joint operation, officers visited several shops in central Southend, seizing illegal items valued at nearly £25,000. The cigarettes were found to be either counterfeit or ‘cheap whites’ which are manufactured in Asia and the Middle East and have been proven to contain very poor-quality tobacco and toxic substances, such as rat poison and asbestos. All the hand rolling tobacco seized was found to be counterfeit versions of popular brands such as Golden Virginia.
