Officers across the city have seized illegal cigarettes from six local shops worth £18,000.

The raids were carried out by members of Trading Standards from Salford City Council. They targeted shops which had been identified to them by tip offs from the public.

The use of sniffer dogs allowed the team to recover over 26,800 cigarettes, which were falsely branded as legitimate cigarettes from companies such as Marlboro, Rothmans and Benson and Hedges.

Salford Trading Standards also seized 247 pouches of hand rolling tobacco and over £1,600 cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

During the raids they also found that some cigarettes had been imported illegally, meaning the buyers didn’t have to pay duty, a tax which legally has to be paid on certain products when entering the country.

The raids were carried our simultaneously this morning across Broughton, Swinton, Irlam and Little Hulton.

Salford City Council have been contacted for comment.

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