Detection dogs take to streets of Plymouth

Local enforcement teams and their sniffer dogs will take to the streets of Plymouth to ask for the public’s help in tackling the sellers of illegal tobacco.

Illegal tobacco is known to make it easier for children to start smoking, as it is sold at cheap prices, and is also known to make communities more attractive to criminals, who can have links to organised crime.

Trading Standards officers from Plymouth City Council, supported by Smokefree South West, will be joined by specially-trained tobacco detection dogs, Scamp, Phoebe and Yoyo, at the Illegal Tobacco Mobile Unit at Sundial, Armada Way, Plymouth

The dogs, which are all ex-rescue dogs, have helped officers across the country sniff out thousands of pounds worth of illegal tobacco, which is often hidden in unusual locations.

The information about where the illegal tobacco was being sold has often come from members of the public. 

The ‘Keep it Out’ campaign has been running for five years and aims to help the public know what illegal tobacco looks like; what the dangers are, and encourages them to keep their eyes open and report illegal tobacco being sold in their neighbourhood.

Since the campaign first launched, the number of smokers buying illegal tobacco in the South West has fallen by more than a fifth (20%) in just three years, from 20% of smokers in 2010, to 16% in 2013.

A recent survey shows that the public are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of illegal tobacco.  82% of adults in Plymouth surveyed agree that illegal tobacco is a danger to kids because they can buy them more easily and cheaply, whilst 57% agree that it brings crime into local communities.

Last month Plymouth’s Trading Standards team seized over 130 pouches of illegal hand rolling tobacco from a house in Whitleigh. The tobacco was believed to be sold for £9.50 a pouch whereas the legitimate price is around £17.50.

Councillor Philippa Davey, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “All tobacco is harmful, but illegal tobacco poses an additional threat to our children and communities, because it is sold at pocket money prices by criminals who are not interested in asking for proof of age.

“This isn’t just about shops and retail premises selling illegal tobacco. Younger people may visit “fag houses” to buy cigarettes. It puts them into risky situations with adults who might also be selling alcohol, drugs or who might take the opportunity to exploit the relationship that gets built up over time.”

Andrea Dickens, deputy director of Smokefree South West, said: “If you see it, please report it, this isn’t about some ‘harmless bootlegging’, it’s about keeping criminals out of your neighbourhood and children and young people safe from harm and a potentially deadly habit.

“There is a lot of work being done across the region to tackle illegal tobacco but we need the public support to help us. Please tell us about where illegal tobacco is being sold, either in person at our mobile illegal tobacco unit, go online or via our hotline. “

Richard Green, Senior Trading Standards Officer for Plymouth City Council, said: “Trading Standards along with Public Health colleagues are determined to crack down on the sale and supply of illegal tobacco.

“It is a top priority for action, because smoking remains one of the UK’s biggest causes of preventable death and the availability of cheap, illegal tobacco makes it harder for people to give up smoking.”

The sale of illegal tobacco is a criminal offence. Anyone wishing to report the selling of illegal tobacco can report anonymously online to Trading Standards at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk or call the Illegal Tobacco Hotline (operated by the Tackling Illegal Tobacco for Better Health Partnership) on 0300 999 0000. 

They cannot trace your call and will never ask for your name.

The South West campaign is part of the wider Tackling Illegal Tobacco Programme which draws together local authorities in the South West with HMRC, Trading Standards, police forces, Scambusters, Crimestoppers and other key partners to tackle this issue.