Over £9000 of cigarettes and tobacco seized in crackdown on illegal trade

Cheshire East Council trading standards officers seized cigarettes and tobacco worth more than £9,000 during a swoop against a fraudster, a court heard.

Chester Crown Court was told 30,679 cigarettes and 24.3kg of rolling tobacco were uncovered during a raid on in a property in Macclesfield on 7 April 2017, by Cheshire East Council’s trading standards investigations team.

Officers found cigarettes and tobacco at the premises – at Mar Mar Market in Dukes Court, Macclesfield, where he was the sole proprietor – with further products found in the shop owner’s vehicle.

Councillor Janet Clowes, cabinet member for communities and health, said: “People who deal in illegal tobacco are more likely to encourage others, especially children and young adults, to smoke.

“All tobacco is harmful but the illegal black market in tobacco, and in particular the availability of cheap cigarettes, makes it harder for smokers to quit and remain smoke free.