Crackdown on Illegal Tobacco Nets Over 12,000 Cigarettes in Kent Raids
Massive Tobacco Haul Seized in Coordinated Raids
Kent Police teamed up with HMRC, Medway Council, the Home Office, and Kent Fire and Rescue to hit illegal tobacco dealers across Chatham and Strood on 16-17 July 2021. Specially trained sniffer dogs helped uncover 12,140 smuggled cigarettes and 9.8kg of rolling tobacco that dodged UK duty charges.
Shops Raided and Shut Without Warning
Search warrants targeted four shops: Chatham Express (Ordnance Street), Kany Shop (High Street), Supermart Xpress (Batchelor Street) in Chatham, plus MJ Mini Market (Darnley Road) and Euro Market (Cedar Road) in Strood.
By 19 July, closure notices forced immediate shutdowns at Strood’s two sites and two Chatham shops, pending further hearings. Just one week later, Euro Market was slapped with a three-month closure at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court.
More Court Battles Loom
Magistrates courts will decide the fates of the remaining suspects on 28 and 30 July. The crackdown signals tough times ahead for illegal tobacco traders in Medway.
Police Warn of Links to Violence and Crime
“This latest operation shows our ongoing fight against illicit tobacco sales,” said Inspector Steve Bassett from Kent Police’s Medway Community Safety Unit. “This criminal trade harms honest local businesses and can fuel anti-social behaviour and violence. Working with partners, we’re determined to hit these operations hard and keep our communities safe.”
