Officers seize more than £20k worth of illegal vapes and tobacco in Rochdale

The Rochdale Tutor Unit and Trading Standards conducted joint visits to two retail premises in Rochdale.

With the help of Wagtail UK and Syke, a tobacco sniffing dog, £20,580 worth of illegal vapes and tobacco were seized.

Within the premises there were hidden compartments where items were stored knowingly by staff, including a stash hidden underneath a toilet which Syke was able to find.

It is believed the money generated from these sales will be linked to other criminal activity such as money laundering, which harms the communities of Greater Manchester.

Officers seized 1,055 packs of illicit cigarettes, made up of approximately 21,100 cigarettes with a value of approximately £12,660, 222 packs of hand rolled tobacco worth £6,216 and 142 illegal vapes.

A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences. He has since been bailed.

The investigation is ongoing with Trading Standards.

Inspector Taylor, of our Neighbourhood Policing Unit in Rochdale, said: “This is an excellent example of partnership work conducted by the Rochdale Tutor Unit. Not only do student officers learn the importance of working together to achieve similar goals, but they have also tackled serious organised crime in their local area.

“It is likely that these items have not been through the rigorous checks required in UK legislation and therefore could have caused serious harm to users.

“These criminal networks pose significant threats to public security and local communities. By targeting these groups, law enforcement can reduce crime rates, protect vulnerable people and disrupt serious and organised crime.

“I am extremely proud of the team and their hard work in securing these results thorough our excellent partnership working with Trading Standards.”

If you are concerned about criminal activity within your area, you can report this to us directly on 101 or by reporting information using our online report tool at www.gmp.police.uk