Published date: 13 July 2016 |
Published by: Steve CraddockRead more articles by Steve Craddock Email reporter
Former Scotland Yard DCI Will O'Reilly shows some of the illicit products bought in North Wales. (Picture: Dave Thomas)
ILLEGAL tobacco is readily available on the streets of North Wales, an undercover investigation has found.
Reporter Steve Craddock visited a pub where tobacco was sold in the doorway as well as a hotel where prospective buyers were offered a menu of products during a morning spent with a team of experts to get a closer look at the illicit tobacco trade in North Wales.
Since 2011 former Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Will O'Reilly and his team of test purchasers have been conducting research on behalf of tobacco company Philip Morris International.
On Thursday, July 7 the team visited Colwyn Bay and Rhyl as they attempted to buy counterfeit and contraband products. They had also successfully bought illicit products from businesses in Flint and in Llandudno.
Of 16 premises visited across North Wales by the team successful purchases were made in 10 places. In five of the attempts, the team were told there was a seller who was just not there at the time. In only one case were they told they could not buy illicit tobacco.
Mr O'Reilly said: "We don't have any intelligence prior, we're going into towns, talking to people in the streets, trying the odd retailer, and really just try and buy one or two packets of illicit tobacco.
“All the intelligence will go back to trading standards or HMRC for any action and they do often follow this up."
Mr O'Reilly said there are three types of illicit tobacco. The first, diverted products or contraband, bought abroad and smuggled back for sale - essentially a genuine product with no tax paid.
The second is a counterfeit product made to look like the real thing, but has no quality control and can contain anything.
The last category, which Mr O'Reilly said is a growing concern, is illicit whites.
Manufactured as cheap as 20p per pack, these products are made in factories around the globe and are made purely for smuggling by the container load.
They have been found to contain dead flies, rat droppings and much higher levels of carcinogenic chemicals.
One of the team - whom we have been asked not to name but will refer to as Elaine - attempted in a Colwyn Bay shop.
One of the shop staff disappeared into the back before returning with Elaine's requested brand, Mayfair, which upon examination shortly after were identified as counterfeit.
Mr O'Reilly said: "We know from the price they're paying for them they must be illicit because it's under the tax threshold. When we're buying them for three or four pound a pack they must be illicit.
"It does fund organised crime - in my time in the police service I saw organised crime gangs turn away from riskier enterprises like drug smuggling for instance. Get caught with a container of illicit cigarettes - there's less risk and more profit. People that sell these don't care who they sell them to. They also don't contain any fire retardant measures."
We then headed to Rhyl, where I entered a convenience shop with another member of the team and again - very cheap cigarettes were bought which turned out to be counterfeit.
The next stop was al hotel that Elaine had bought from the previous day.
Here, upon request, the owner reeled off the stock available for purchase - which included a variety of tobacco pouches and brands of cigarettes - of which Elaine bought a number.
Elaine then tried a pub and after discovering the name of the regular tobacco seller we were sent on to find him in another pub where, after some brief negotiations, tobacco was exchanged for cash in the doorway.
Mr O'Reilly said: "It's only the tip of the iceberg. Quite often what we hear about is people who have organised delivery rounds and organised customer bases, its not worth the risk selling to someone they don't know.
"The message to shopkeepers is don't do it - you're letting down your other colleagues who have got to make a living. For members of the public, if they're aware of anybody selling illicit tobacco products please report it to law enforcement."
John Parkinson, owner of the Broadway Premier Newsagents in Penrhyn Bay and a member of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, said: "It is affecting business, in the last two years our sales have dropped significantly and the main reason is people buying them on facebook or other sources.
"It's very much a concern - if I as a reputable shop were to sell counterfeit products I would be punished very quickly.
"I can't understand why for shops that are selling it, the punishment seems to be non existent."
Clwyd West MP David Jones said: "The trade is damaging on many levels. First, it deprives the revenue of taxes and duty. This, in turn, means that the Government has less to spend on services and also means taxpayers have to cover the loss.
"Secondly, it amounts to unfair competition to legitimate retailers; the loss of income they sustain may make their businesses – often small convenience stores – unviable.
"Thirdly, it amounts to a clear health risk. Whilst legitimate tobacco is itself an unhealthy substance, it is at least produced under strict quality-controlled conditions; This is not the case with counterfeit tobacco.
"The illegal tobacco trade is rightly being targeted by the Government and the enforcement agencies. I would encourage anyone who becomes aware of any instance of it locally to inform the police."
Mr O'Reilly said some common things to look out for are light weight tobacco, very low prices, badly sealed or creased plastic around the packet and foreign languages.
To contact HMRC to report suspicious activity in relation to smuggling, customs, excise and VAT fraud call the hotline on 0800 595 000. Alternatively contact Trading Standards atConwy County Council, Denbighshire County Council or call crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
see-http://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/164246/illegal-tobacco-on-sale-in-colwyn-bay-and-rhyl-investigation-finds.aspx
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