A stash of fake cigarettes and tobacco worth thousands of pounds has been seized from shops in Hounslow.
A number of tip-offs to Hounslow Council's trading standards team led to raids at four stores, where more than £16,000 of counterfeit tobacco was sniffed out as part of Operation Henry.
The biggest haul at one premises saw sniffer dogs Yoyo and Scamp uncover 27,500 cigarettes worth £13,750; 500g of hand rolling tobacco with a value of £150; plus 185g of Shisha estimated at £925.
At another location, £300 of oral snuff tobacco and 1,150 tobacco blunts valued at £1,725 put the total street value of smoking related items seized at £16,750.
At a third site a further stash of more than 6,000 foreign cigarettes was also found along with 150 pouches of chewing tobacco and possible counterfeit Silk Cut cigarettes worth £3,000.
And at a fourth premises, around 700 cigarettes thought to have been illegally imported were also discovered.
Police officers with support from council-funded officers and specialist sniffer dogs from BWY Canine carried out the raids, as part of Operation Henry investigations into counterfeit and duty-evaded tobacco.
Councillor Sue Sampson, cabinet member for community protection at Hounslow Council, said: “This a tremendous find and shows how committed we are in tackling the underground trading of illicit tobacco.
“If anyone is found to have been importing and selling illegal tobacco, they will be caught, they will be fined and they will face the consequences of their actions.
“Once again, our residents have been the key to informing us about this illegal activity."
Each shop owner will be interviewed under caution.
If you have suspicions concerning the sale of illicit tobacco, email tradingstandards@hounslow.gov.uk.
