Morecambe shops among those targeted as police seize illicit cigarettes and issue closure orders
A police operation across the county took place across three days...
Two shops in Morecambe were among those targeted as part of a countywide police operation.
Police seized cigarettes and tobacco products worth thousands of pounds during the proactive operation targeting businesses suspected of flouting the law across Lancashire.
As part of Operation Wanderstar, officers also seized counterfeit Labubu dolls, fidget toys and phone cases, and issued closure notices to several businesses linked to the sale of illicit cigarettes.
Some of the illegal items were stashed inside hidden compartments and found by tobacco detection dogs, while others came following community intelligence.
Working with our colleagues from Lancashire Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement and HMRC, our Economic Crime Unit (ECU) and local neighbourhood policing teams visited 30 premises across three days in Preston, Chorley, South Ribble, Blackburn, Pendle, Blackpool, Morecambe, Lytham and Thornton-Cleveleys.
Among them was Blue Vape in Queen Street, Morecambe, where officers seized 180 packets of illicit cigarettes and a verbal notice of a closure order was also served.
At West End Mini Market in Regent Road, Morecambe, police seized 450 packets of illicit cigarettes.
Operation Wanderstar comes under the banner of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Machinize - a national campaign aimed at the disruption of cash being laundered in the UK.
DI Jo Collinson, of Lancashire Constabulary’s ECU, said: “Our priority is to tackle businesses that deliberately break the law for financial gain. Their actions not only undermine legitimate businesses but also put customers at risk by selling substandard products as genuine goods.
“Our Economic Crime Unit, working alongside our Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Lancashire Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement and HMRC, has taken significant action to disrupt this illegal activity across the county.
“This work will continue, and we urge anyone with concerns about suspected illegal activity in their area to report it to police so that appropriate action can be taken.”
Report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/PEDisclaimer/Create or call 101.