- Illegal tobacco and vapes worth about £5,500 were seized.
- The operation focused on unlicensed and incorrectly labelled goods.
- Further inspections took place across other parts of the city.
Thousands of pounds worth of illegal tobacco products and vapes were seized during a joint police and trading standards operation in Southampton earlier this week. Officers visited Portswood Euro Market on Portswood Road as part of an intelligence-led inspection on February 4.
During the visit, officers were led behind the shop to a white car, believed to be a taxi. With the help of sniffer dogs, police reportedly discovered several bags of suspected illegal goods inside the vehicle. The car’s alarm was sounding as officers searched it and removed the items.
A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said the trading standards team seized illegal vapes along with cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and shisha tobacco. The goods were valued at approximately £5,500 and were seized from a vehicle associated with the shop, as quoted in a news report.
The council added that the visit was part of a planned operation targeting premises where intelligence suggested illegal tobacco and vape products were being sold. Officers were checking for goods sold without the correct licences, items that were incorrectly labelled, and products meant only for duty-free sale, which allows sellers to avoid paying tax.
Checks continue across the city
Further inspections were carried out in other areas, including London Road, where officers seized disposable vapes and tobacco products from additional premises. Some shops were found to be selling restricted items without permission, while others had stock that did not meet legal standards.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said the visits were important to protect customers and ensure businesses pay the correct amount of tax. The force encouraged anyone with information about suspected illegal sales to report it through official channels, reportedly said in a statement.
