The council has seized over £120,000 worth of illegal goods in Sandwell. 

Sandwell Council's Trading Standards officers are continuing their efforts to protect residents and law-abiding businesses by confiscating substantial quantities of illegal and dangerous vapes and tobacco. 

On July 17, as part of Operation CeCe, Sandwell Council Trading Standards conducted three raids across the borough. 

The raids were carried out in partnership with the Modern Slavery Team, General Licensing Department and West Midlands Police with the aim of removing and seizing illegal and dangerous vapes and tobacco from the market. 

Over £120,000 worth of illegal goods were confiscated during the operation. 

The items were hidden in sophisticated concealments, including behind a false wall, behind a bathroom mirror and beneath a specially adapted shelving unit. 

Many of the hiding places were secured with an electro-magnetic system. 

Criminal investigations are ongoing. 

Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community, Councillor Suzanne Hartwell said: "The trade in illegal tobacco and vapes is not only harmful to businesses in the borough who are trading legally, but it also creates a cheap source of tobacco for young people.

"It undermines all the good work being done to stop people smoking. Additionally, the illegal trade in tobacco and vapes has strong links to other criminal activities. We want Sandwell to be a place where residents, workers, and visitors can feel safe at all times.
 
"In addition, illegal tobacco and vapes can harm our residents' health, so it's vital we restrict their availability. Illegal vapes are dangerous because they haven't gone through safety tests and there can be severe risks including dispensing too much nicotine, banned substances or encouraging over consumption."

On Thursday, July 25, as part of a separate case and a different operation, an individual also pleaded guilty to stocking illicit tobacco in his shop. 

The individual was sentenced to 27 weeks imprisonment which was suspended for two years. 

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and to pay full costs of £5,750.33. 

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of the National Trading Standards, said: "The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law.

"Having removed 19 million illegal cigarettes and 5,103kg of hand-rolling tobacco in 2023-24, Operation CeCe (a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC) has taken £27.2 million pounds worth of illicit tobacco off the market since the operation launched in 2021 and continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade."