Southend Council raids saw vapes and cigarettes seized

Southend Council's Trading Standards officers alongside HMRC and Essex Police conducted a series of successful raids on a number of shops along Southchurch Road, which saw the seizure of significant amounts of illegal cigarettes, tobacco, and non-compliant disposable vape pens. 

Illegal - tobacco products seized (Image: Southend Council)

A total of 35,000 cigarettes and 19kg of hand-rolling tobacco were confiscated.

These illicit products, often counterfeit, pose a greater health risk than legitimate ones due to the presence of harmful substances and the evasion of UK duties. 

Additionally, officers seized illegal disposable vape pens valued at over £20,000. Some of these products falsely advertised a capacity of up to 15,000 puffs.

Seized - vapes worth more than £20,000 were taken (Image: Southend Council)

According to UK regulations, any vape pen claiming more than 600 puffs is likely non-compliant, exceeding legal limits on nicotine strength and tank size. These dangerous products have been sold to children, the council claimed. 

Vapes - officers carried out a series of raids (Image: Southend Council)

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Alan Richards, executive director for environment and place, said: "This operation underscores our dedication to protecting our community from the dangers of illegal tobacco and vape products.  

“Irresponsible businesses selling these items are not only jeopardising public health but are also often linked to organised crime. We will continue to use all available powers to remove these harmful products and take formal action against the offenders." 

All seized items, including disposable vapes, illegal cigarettes, and tobacco, will be destroyed through "environmentally friendly processes" to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents.