From: The Argus
Illegal cigarettes and tobacco products are lining the pockets of organised crime gangs across the globe.
Smokers in Brighton and Hove who choose to buy Non-UK duty paid (NUKDP) cigarettes from shops, bootsales and markets are being warned that they are funding criminal operations at home and abroad.
NUKDP products include counterfeit or fake tobacco, sometimes produced in unregulated and unsafe environments, and contraband goods that have been smuggled into the country under the radar of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Last week this newspaper handed Brighton Trading Standards ten illegal tobacco products bought from various shops and individuals across the city in just one day.
We can’t reveal the names of sellers due to the ongoing investigation – but all products were found to be NUKDP.
Some fake cigarettes are found to contain rat droppings, insects and faeces.
Crime agency Europol says organised criminals are turning to cigarette and tobacco smuggling because of its lower penalties and larger profits.
