Over £400k worth of illegal goods seized in organised crime crackdown on Leeds high streets

More than £414,000 worth of illegal goods have been seized by Trading Standards from Leeds high street businesses in a laundering crackdown last weekend.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards, working with the National Crime Agency (NCA), West Yorkshire Police, and other partners, carried out a series of inspections on Saturday, October 10, which targeted cash-intensive high street businesses suspected of laundering criminal funds through mini-markets and vape shops.

Linda Davis, Head of West Yorkshire Trading Standards (Protecting Communities) said: “This collaborative action taken across West Yorkshire is designed to reinforce the message that illegal traders are not welcome on our high streets.

“The sale of illicit goods by high street businesses costs government millions each year in lost revenue and is unfair competition on other local retailers. We know that those involved in selling illegal tobacco and vapes are often selling these products to children too.”

The action saw Trading Standards recover over 364,000 illicit cigarette sticks and 78kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco.

Several other illicit items were also seized including a quantity of shisha tobacco.

Councillor Angela Wallis, Member of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee which oversees the work of Trading Standards said: “The illegal sale of tobacco and vapes is a blight on our high streets which enables organised crime to prosper whilst undermining the health of our communities and impacting legitimate hard-working businesses.

“West Yorkshire Trading Standards’ involvement in this nationally coordinated operation demonstrates our commitment to working with partners to tackle crime on the high street for the benefit of our communities across West Yorkshire.”

The series of inspections was part of Operation Machinize, an ongoing NCA-coordinated project to tackle money laundering and criminal use of cash-intensive high street businesses.

West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Baroness Alison Lowe OBE said: “It is great to see this kind of partnership work in action, delivering significant results for the communities of West Yorkshire.

“The sale of illegal goods can be a driver of organised crime and local people have told us that this is one of their concerns.

“By working together in this way, we can disrupt those who cause the greatest harm and protect vulnerable people from exploitation.”

Anyone with information about a trader selling cheap and illicit tobacco or vapes, or selling age-restricted products to children, should contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.