13,000 illegal cigarettes and 14kg of illegal tobacco has been seized from shops in Southend.

As part of a joint operation between the Council’s Trading Standards team and Essex Police, a number of unannounced raids on shops in Southend town centre were carried out, cracking down on illegally imported and fake tobacco products being sold in the Borough.

Trading Standards used trained tobacco search dogs to hunt for the tobacco.

The dogs helped to sniff out a huge haul of cigarettes an tobacco during a raid of a second hand goods store in the town.

As well as cigarettes and tobacco, a number of unsafe electrical items were also seized.

The Trading Standards team secured a number of recent prosecutions for similar offences, with large financial penalties being issued by the courts, in addition, the latest case resulted in a custodial sentence for a Southend business owner.

Following the success of the raids, Tony Cox, councillor for transport, waste and regulatory services, said: “Rat droppings, dead insects, asbestos and other harmful ingredients are being mixed with poor quality tobacco to be sold off as genuine branded products at a fraction of the legal price, putting smokers at even greater risk in the Borough.

"The sale of cheap tobacco and cigarettes undermines attempts to reduce the prevalence of smoking, makes it impossible for legitimate businesses to compete, and there are also genuine fears the trade is helping to fund terrorism and organised crime in the UK and abroad.

“That is why I am so pleased our small Trading Standards team, made up of highly dedicated officers are working with the police and achieving such big successes like this and protecting the consumer.

"Following a number of recent prosecutions, the success of this operation is growing, and to seize such a large quantity of illicit goods is excellent news.

“We have more work to do, but let this serve as a warning to those who put others’ lives at risk by dealing with illicit tobacco.

"We are working continuously to protect the lives of residents and visitors to the town and I would like to thank the diligence of the Trading Standards team and our partners at Essex Police."

The illegal cigarettes will now be destroyed and each of the businesses will face legal action.