South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council have underlined their commitment to removing illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco from the town’s streets after seizing products totalling more than £900,000 in a 12-month period.
The force’s district police officers and the Council’s Trading Standards team – key partners in Rotherham’s Tobacco Control Alliance – work closely to keep communities in Rotherham safe by carrying out targeted operations and swooping in on retailers suspected of selling these harmful items.
Between January and December 2023, the partnership removed a total of over £900,000 worth of illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco. These products fail to meet safety standards and often contain contaminants which make them significantly more harmful to health. The criminals selling them will often target our most vulnerable residents, including children, for their own gain.
As of the end of December 2023, a total of 27,085 vapes were seized across Rotherham, with a total value of £301,117. In addition to this, a total of 1,221,788 cigarettes were seized, valued at £525,836. Finally, a total of 82,151 grams of illegal tobacco was seized, to the value of £83,882.
In total, products to the street value of £910,835 were seized in this 12-month period, and the hard work continues in 2024.
Chief Superintendent Laura Koscikiewicz said: “Removing illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco from our streets was one of our key priorities last year, as we were aware that the amount being discovered was very high. I am therefore extremely pleased with these results and we remain committed to continuing to ensure Rotherham remains a safe place to work, live and visit.
“Our officers work hard alongside the council to find these illegal substances, and these results demonstrate the amount of dedication and persistence our officers and members of the trading standards team have put in.
“The safety of the people of Rotherham and across the whole of South Yorkshire is our priority, and these illegal substances are being sold to people with potentially harmful chemicals within them, which could cause serious health problems.
“This excellent work just goes to show how important partnership working is for us, and forming close relationships with key people within the public sector and working together on the issues that matter the most to local communities is what drives us forward in achieving results like these.
“I can assure the people of Rotherham and the rest of South Yorkshire that the hard work does not stop here and we continue to focus on this issue and make it a key priority. A huge well done to all who were involved in this fantastic work.”
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Cllr David Roche, said: “The availability of illegal tobacco and vape products on our streets is a huge concern for the Council, and 2024 will see additional investment of public health funding in the trading standards team.
“These products are often targeted at children and other vulnerable residents, leading to a lifetime of nicotine addiction and associated harm to health. Illegal products often contain contaminants that are potentially extremely harmful and pose a huge health risk to residents.
“The Council is committed to helping everyone to live as independently, safely and healthily as possible and so it’s pleasing to hear that so many illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco have been removed from sale through the joint working of council and police teams.
“For any residents wishing to stop smoking, Get Healthy Rotherham offers free advice and support.”
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Community Safety and Finance, Cllr Saghir Alam, said: “Our Trading Standards team have been working hard throughout 2023 and this is demonstrated by the amount of illegal items seized.
“We will continue to work with local businesses to ensure they are complying with the law and with our partners at South Yorkshire Police.
“Our message to local retailers is not to risk their businesses or the health of their customers by getting involved with this trade. The expansion of Trading Standards’ capacity will ensure that more of those who continue to sell illegal products will see their stock confiscated and will face prosecution.
“Any retailers who continue to sell illegal products will have them confiscated and face prosecution.”
If you have any information relating to the suspected sale of illicit vapes or tobacco products from shops anywhere within your area, you can report this via South Yorkshire Police's online portal or by calling 101.
You can access the online portal here: https://smartcontact.southyorkshire.police.uk/
To report a business to Trading Standards visit the webpage: Report a business to Trading Standards – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council