Nearly £500k worth of counterfeit goods were seized from three Ashton premises during a police swoop.
Approximately £460,000 worth of fake vapes, cigarettes and rolling tobacco, counterfeit trainers, perfume and scented candles were snatched from three separate Ashton locations.
Tameside Council, working with Greater Manchester Police and a team of Wagtails – speciality sniffer dogs trained to detect smuggled goods – ‘swooped’ the premises after receiving information of suspicious activity.
Councillor Hugh Roderick, Tameside Council’s assistant executive member for enforcement, said: “Appropriate action will be taken against the offenders involved.”
The market for counterfeit goods represents 4% of all UK imports – around £9.3 billion – and accounts for £1.3 billion in unpaid tax that could be spent on essential public services.
The nationwide import and sale of counterfeit tobacco alone reached an estimated £2.8 billion in 2021/2022, according to HM Revenues and Customs. This is money that goes straight into the pockets of UK organised crime rings.
As well as being dangerous to consumers, profits taken from counterfeit goods are used to fund human trafficking, child labour, and the smuggling of drugs and weapons across the globe.
Coun Roderick said: “We’ll continue to work closely with our partners to address issues of concern to our communities and to make Tameside safer for everyone.”
Greater Manchester Police say investigations are continuing.
Feature Image Credit: Greater Manchester Police
