The amount of counterfeit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes seized by Hull City Council’s Public Protection Team doubled in 2024. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of confiscated cigarettes increased from 1.05 million, to 2.4 million; tobacco pouches from 5,312 to 25,841; and vapes from 26,868 to 45,731.
The figures included routine seizures, as well as particularly large finds. These included a single operation in October 2024 where cigarettes vapes and goods worth around £100,000 were recovered. In March of the same year, tens of thousands of counterfeit products were discovered stashed in an industrial-sized bin with a concealed compartment.
Officers from the council’s Trading Standards Team work closely with colleagues in Humberside Police to target illegal traders. They use local intelligence on when and where counterfeit trading is happening, and sometimes use detection dogs to help uncover the best-concealed hiding spots.
Previous hidey holes canine noses have sniffed out have included a compartment inside a concrete drain, a delivery chute from an upstairs flat, a false mirror and a concrete floor safe with a hidden hydraulic lift.
Rachel Stephenson, Head of Public Protection at Hull City Council, said: “Our team and our partners demonstrate over and over again that they stay a step ahead of those trading illegal tobacco and vapes.
“We have seized goods from people running very small operations, as well as major distributers within the city. Close work with our partners, an experienced team and the use of detection dogs where necessary means we can get products off the streets as fast as they arrive. Already in 2025, we have seen significant seizures, including £85,000 worth of products during an operation in March.
“Illegal tobacco and vapes are a danger to anyone who uses them. The products aren’t subjected to the same safety checks as legal versions, and both cigarettes and vapes can pose a fire risk. Those who sell them often target children and young people and we know cheap tobacco is a barrier to adults who want to quit”.
Signs tobacco is counterfeit can include:
- A shopkeeper getting the goods from somewhere other than a cabinet behind the till
- No health warnings on the packet
- Unusual brand names
- Warnings in a foreign language
- A lower price than normal cigarettes/tobacco
- Being sold from somewhere unusual, including homes, market stalls, pubs and vanc
- Selling single cigarettes, particularly to children.
Report someone selling illicit tobacco anonymously to Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133, or visit keepitout.co.uk and report anonymously online. For free support to stop smoking, search SmokeFree Hull, or call: 01482 977 617.
Access the internet for free at any of Hull’s libraries or Customer Service Centres.
