From: Darlington & Stockton Times
FAKE tobacco seized from ‘fag houses’ in police swoops has been found to contain illegal levels tar and nicotine.
Middlesbrough Council’s Trading Standards team has issued a warning after seven different samples of packs of and counterfeit cigarettes were sent for chemical analysis.
Tests revealed all of the samples contained more than the legally permitted levels of tar and nicotine, with the worst examples containing 65 per cent more tar and 89 per cent more nicotine. Five samples also exceeded the legal levels of carbon monoxide.
One of the samples was found to contain almost four times as much cadmium and three times as much lead as permitted in legally available cigarettes.
Councillor Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for regeneration and economic development, said: “By working with the police and HM Revenue & Customs we hope to stamp out this practice.
“These tests consistently show that illegal tobacco is not a bargain – it’s simply a quicker route to an early grave.”
Anyone with information on illegal cigarette and tobacco sales can call Middlesbrough Trading Standards in confidence on 01642 728869.
