The new initiative is designed to expand on work already carried out by Trading Standards officers to disrupt the illegal tobacco trade. 

As part of the operation, officers from the council, supported by West Midlands Police, seized around 7,000 illegal cigarettes, 3.8kg of hand-rolling tobacco and 18 disposable vapes on Saturday 31 January. 

A number of retail premises across Walsall were inspected, across five premises issues were identified at three locations.  

Trading Standards officers also dealt with unlabelled food products and non-compliant, non-English labelling, while police seized a baseball bat from one of the stores. 

Illegal tobacco poses significant risks to public health, as its ingredients are not known or regulated and may contain higher levels of harmful chemicals. As part of Walsall’s Tobacco Control Plan, the council continues to work to reduce tobacco consumption, enhance local regulation and enforcement, prevent residents from starting and enhance stop smoking services to target those in greatest need. 

Further activity will take place as part of Operation Fearless over the coming weeks, including disruption visits, specialist tobacco dog searches and work to raise awareness of the serious harms linked to illegal tobacco. 

“ Operation Fearless sends a clear message that the illegal tobacco trade will not be tolerated in Walsall. This first round of action has already taken a significant quantity of dangerous and illegal products off our streets.

“These goods harm health, fuel organised crime and undermine our communities, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to disrupt those responsible. “

Councillor Adam Hicken, Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Safe Communities

Where illegal tobacco is identified, Trading Standards can take a range of enforcement action, including seizures, prosecutions, formal warnings, licence reviews and working with landlords to pursue eviction of offending tenants. 

Operation Fearless runs alongside existing enforcement activity and all outcomes will be reported to the local tobacco control partnership to inform future action. 

Residents are urged to report any information about the illegal sale of cigarettes, vapes, alcohol or counterfeit goods. Information can be passed to police by calling 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.