Illegal tobacco and vapes worth over £40,000 seized in Risca

Trading Standards officers, accompanied by partners from the Gwent Police Modern Slavery and Exploitation Team, Immigration Enforcement, Environmental Health, and the Regional Trading Standards Tobacco Enforcement Team, carried out enforcement visits in the Risca area last week as part of Operation CeCe.

Two premises were visited as part of the targeted operation, which aims to disrupt the supply of illegal tobacco and vaping products and protect local communities from criminal activity.

During the operation, illegal tobacco products with an estimated street value of more than £40,000 were seized. One individual was also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis and vapes containing THC.

Investigations are ongoing, and further enforcement activity will continue across the county borough as part of efforts to tackle the sale of illicit goods.

Councillor Philippa Leonard, Cabinet Member for Planning and Public Protection, said:"Operations such as this demonstrate our commitment to protecting residents, supporting legitimate local businesses, and tackling criminal activity within our communities.

"The sale of illegal tobacco and illicit vaping products undermines responsible retailers, poses significant health risks, and can often be linked to wider criminality. By working closely with our enforcement partners, we are sending a clear message that this type of activity will not be tolerated.

"I would like to thank all the officers involved for their professionalism and dedication in carrying out this successful operation."

Inspector Shaun Banfield, Gwent Police said: "As part of the community safety partnership, our neighbourhood policing team work hard year-round to crack down on the issues affecting our communities.

"As well as addressing the obvious potential health risks posed by the sale of illicit or unregulated vaping products, operations like these help us investigate potential links to organised crime groups and put together a thorough investigation to disrupt their operation, remove illicit products from the streets, safeguard residents and put criminals behind bars.

"I hope this work can reassure residents that if you have any concerns regarding problem premises, you can report it to us, and we will work hard with our partners to take action."

If you have concerns about crime or ASB in your area, no matter how small you believe the information to be, please report it to us via our website, by calling 101 or by messaging us on social media so that we can act.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, with information or visit their website.

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or vaping products is encouraged to report it to Trading Standards or Gwent Police.