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Hackney TS Seizes Illicit Goods


Illicit vapes, cigarettes, tobacco and controlled substances were discovered in a series of raids.

Journal of Trading Standards Staff

Posted 22 July 2025 | JoTS Online


Content Tags:  Updates|Crime|London


Hackney Trading Standards has seized illegal and illicit goods with a retail value of more than £60,000 in a series of raids.

As well as more than 34,000 illicit cigarettes, almost 2,000 illicit vapes and several kilos of illicit hand-rolling tobacco and Shisha, Officers also found Class B and Class C Controlled substances. Counterfeit products and alcohol licensing offences were also discovered at some of the retailers.

David Hunt, CTSI joint Lead Officer for Tobacco and Vaping and Senior Trading Standards Officer at Hackney Council, said: “Working on accurate intelligence, and alongside our partners at Hackney Council and the Metropolitan Police, Hackney Trading Standards uncovered a tremendous amount of illicit goods that were being sold in our local shops.

“I’m very proud of the vital work carried out by the Trading Standards team that has improved the safety of local consumers and helped support the honest businesses that help our local economy to grow.”

It is estimated that the seized goods are worth an estimated £48,000 in unpaid tobacco duties and VAT, and would have cost the local economy more than £60,000 by undercutting law-abiding businesses.


PLEASE NOTE: This content originally appeared on our standalone Journal of Trading Standards website (www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk), which we are gradually migrating over to the Journal's new home on the CTSI website. Please bear with us while we complete this process. This will not affect the production of our Print Edition.


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Content Tags:  Updates|Crime|London


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