120,000 Illegal Cigarettes Snapped Up in Dartford and Gravesham Raid
A crack multi-agency swoop has busted nearly 120,000 illicit cigarettes across Dartford and Gravesham. Officers targeted dodgy shops flaunting licensing and immigration laws in a major crackdown.
22 Shops Raided in Joint Police and Immigration Blitz
On Friday 8 March 2024, Community Safety Units from Dartford and gravesend/" title="Gravesend" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Gravesend teamed up with Home Office Immigration Enforcement. They stormed 22 businesses, demanding they comply with the law – and it paid off big time.
Thousands of Untaxed Cigarettes and Tobacco Seized, Four Questioned on Immigration
- A whopping 6,448 packs of illegal cigarettes confiscated
- 327 pouches of unregulated tobacco taken off the streets
- Cash haul recovered from the raids
- Four individuals grilled over immigration offences
Police Warn: Illegal Tobacco Harms Health and Honest Traders
“The sale of illicit cigarettes and tobacco poses a serious health risk to consumers and also hinders law-abiding businesses,” warned Police Sergeant Daniel Bartlett.
“Kent Police is committed to working with partner agencies to stamp out the illegal sale of unregulated tobacco and hold offenders to account. We are proud to work with our partners on operations like these as they not only prevent and deter criminality but also ensure community safety is at the heart of what we do.”
