Tobacco sniffer dog uncovers £17,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and vapes in Perth and Kinross

More than £17,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and vapes were sniffed out by a tobacco detection dog as part of a national crackdown.

A huge haul of more than 20,000 cigarettes an 188 vapes were uncovered in Perth and Kinross by a sniffer dog named Boo on Tuesday March 19.

Operation CECE Scotland is a joint initiative between Scottish Trading Standards services and HM Revenue and Customs to tackle the illegal tobacco trade at retail level.

Perth and Kinross Council Trading Standards officers led a multi-agency operation involving Police Scotland and Consumer Protection Dogs UK, as part of the national operation.

The operation used a tobacco detector dog to search for contraband tobacco products being offered for sale in city centre premises.

Illegal and illicit tobacco and hand rolling tobacco and illegal vapes were seized from premises and vehicles totalling a value of £17,355 with a loss to the treasury in duty of £11,477.

The search was carried out as part of a national crackdown into the illegal tobacco trade. Perth and Kinross Council

In total, 21,020 illegal and illicit cigarettes, 900g of hand rolling tobacco and 188 illegal vapes were seized.

Perth and Kinross housing and wellbeing committee convenor councillor Tom McEwan said: “Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular and respiratory disease and illegal tobacco is even more dangerous, as they may contain toxins that do not conform to our quality standards.

“The trade in illicit and illegal tobacco not only supports criminal gangs but it deprives the Treasury of VAT revenue.

“Our officers will continue to work with partners to stop the sale of illegal and illicit tobacco products in our stores.”