Moray Trading Standards seize £4000 worth of illegal tobacco
£4000 worth of illegal tobacco has been seized from businesses in Buckie and Elgin, as part of an operation led by Moray Council’s Trading Standards team, with support from Police Scotland and Moray Community Wardens.
Officers took action on Thursday 18 September, following intelligence received about the sale of illicit cigarettes and tobacco in the area.
A specialist tobacco detection dog was deployed to support the searches, resulting in the recovery of a significant quantity of illegal tobacco products.
Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco undermines responsible local businesses, and puts unregulated and potentially unsafe products into the hands of the public. Our Trading Standards team, with the support of our partners, will continue to take firm action against those who choose to ignore the law.”
Chief Inspector Michael McKenzie, Local Area Commander, said: "We were pleased to support Moray Council's Trading Standards team during this operation. The supply of illegal tobacco is a concern for local communities and we will continue to work with partners to take action where offences are identified.
"The public's assistance remains vital, and I would encourage anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco to report them to Trading Standards or Police Scotland."