Fake goods were found by trading standards teams from Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council when they raided five shops and a private house in the city.
Goods seized in the raids include cigarettes and rolling tobacco with a street value of £8,000 and 178 items of fake football kit.
Fakes discovered by failed tests
Supported by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Service and Staffordshire Police, the teams raided Market Place Store in Market Place, Burslem, Waterloo Store, Vinos Mini Market, Grab and Go and International Supermarket, all in Waterloo Road, Stoke. Prior to the raids in early July, test purchases had been made at each shop to establish that they were allegedly selling illegal products.
Trading standards officers also raided a house in Longton in June seizing the fake football kit, including 32 full England strips. The raid followed the goods being advertised for sale on social media. The counterfeit goods recovered in Longton have a street value of £3,500 and included Manchester United and Brazil shirts.
The cigarettes and tobacco taken from the five shops had a retail value of £20,000 and represent a potential £14,000 in evaded duty. Officers also seized 2,350 vapes, worth £30,000.
Protecting consumers and legal traders
Over the period 2022-23 10.6bn non-duty paid cigarettes were seized by HMRC and the Border Force and 1,571 people were convicted for related offences. £298mn was raised in tobacco related penalties.
Councillor Amjid Wazir, Deputy Leader of the Council and the cabinet member with responsibility for enforcing trading standards said sellers of fake football kits were taking “advantage of consumers at a time when everyone is feeling so good supporting England.”
Their actions, he said, harmed the “prosperity and growth” of the city and “undermines the hard work of legitimate businesses”.
Speaking about the seizures of illegal tobacco and vapes, he said: “illegal tobacco and vape sales affect the trade of legitimate businesses in our city and put consumers in danger. It won’t be tolerated. When we have the evidence, we will always take action against businesses who sell illegal goods in Stoke-on-Trent.”
Funding organised crime
Victoria Wilson, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Staffordshire County Council said the trade in illegal tobacco is closely related to organised crime and that the successful raids represented a “real result”. She added: “Not only does the trade put money in criminals’ pockets but it also harms our local communities and legitimate businesses. We will do all we can to ensure that we support legitimate businesses and take strong action against anyone who sells these dangerous illegal products.”
Chief Inspector Rob Peacock of Staffordshire Police said the raids showed the effectiveness of working closely with partner agencies. He added that they sent out “a clear message that this type of activity will not be tolerated here in Staffordshire. We will continue to carry out joint exercises like this to target and take action against those intent on causing harm to our communities through the illegal sale of such products.”
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