Dogs sniff out fake cigarettes in raids netting £21,000 tobacco in East End

Dogs that sniff out tobacco have been used in raids that netted £21,000 in illegal fake cigarettes in London’s East End.

Smuggled and counterfeit products were seized by police, HM Revenue & Customs and Tower Hamlets Trading Standards officers from seven shops.

The dogs found 90,000 cigarettes, 183 packs of rolling tobacco and 3kg of Shisha tobacco.

“The lengths retailers go to hide these illicit products shows the importance of detection dogs,” Tower Hamlets Cabinet Member Ohid Ahmed said.

The seized tobacco had no legal health warnings, nor had customs and excise duty been paid.