THOUSANDS of pounds worth of illegal tobacco has been found in ‘sophisticated’ storage devices in Herefordshire shops.

Police used trained tobacco sniffer dogs yesterday to recover 33,000 cigarettes.

Police working alongside firefighters carried out multi-agency raids in Eign Gate, Hereford and Drapers Lane, Leominster.

Assisted by a specialist trained tobacco sniffer dog called Scamp from B.W.Y CANINE Ltd, numerous 'stashes' of illicit tobacco were located. 

“The tobacco was secreted within very sophisticated and specifically made devices operated by hydraulic remote control drawers and lifts,” said PC Duncan Reynolds, from Hereford Harm Reduction unit.

“These expensive pieces of criminal ingenuity were quickly deconstructed by members of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service with state of the art cutting equipment.” 

In total 1,920 packets of fake and non-duty paid tobacco was seized along with 132 packets of hand rolling tobacco.  This equates to approximately 33,000 cigarettes and £15,000 duty evasion.

Four people were arrested during the raids for various offences and questioned by enforcement officers from several agencies.

One person was identified as being illegally in the UK.

 The investigation is ongoing as enquiries continue.

“People who purchase tobacco from such premises are putting their health at an additionally high risk, as many other waste products are mixed with the tobacco prior to packaging it, in order to maximise profit,” added Mr Reynolds.

“The public are requested to pass any information with regard to the sale of illicit tobacco to either the Police, Trading Standards or Crimestoppers.

“This information can be passed anonymously and will help to build the intelligence around this highly organised form of offending.”