Thousands of illegal and potentially unsafe products have been seized following a multi-agency operation across the Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Bridgend led by Shared Regulatory Services (SRS).
SRS operates trading standards, food hygiene, animal welfare, pollution, licencing and other functions across those three Local Authority areas.
Working alongside South Wales Police, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Immigration Enforcement, officers visited 29 business premises as part of Operation Aladdin.
That was a coordinated initiative aimed at disrupting the supply of illicit tobacco and other unlawful goods while protecting consumers and supporting legitimate businesses.
The operation led to 14 Trading Standards seizures and the removal of significant quantities of illegal products from circulation, including:
- More than 1,500 packets of illegal cigarettes
- Around 100 packets of illegal hand-rolling tobacco
- In excess of 650 illegal vapes
- Approximately 400 toys suspected of being unsafe
Cllr Ruba Sivagnanam, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities, and Regulatory Services, said: “This operation demonstrates the value of partnership working in tackling illegal trading and protecting our communities. It is also testament to the hard work and dedication of officers from all agencies involved.
“By working closely with our enforcement partners, we have removed a substantial quantity of illegal and potentially dangerous products from circulation. This action helps safeguard consumers, supports law-abiding businesses and sends a clear message that illegal trading will not be tolerated.
“Operations such as this are vital in disrupting criminal activity, gathering intelligence and ensuring businesses operate fairly and within the law. We will continue to work with our partners to identify and target those involved in the sale of illicit tobacco and other illegal goods.”
The enforcement action also resulted in cash and drug seizures and the identification of a car linked to criminal activity.
Illegal tobacco and vaping products often fail to meet safety standards and can be sold without the appropriate health warnings or safeguards.
Their sale can also undermine legitimate retailers, deprive public services of revenue and contribute to wider criminal activity. Unsafe toys and other non-compliant consumer goods can pose significant risks, particularly to children and young people.
Residents are encouraged to report concerns relating to the sale of illegal tobacco products to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
