INVERNESS — Trading Standards officers in Scotland say they need extra powers to deal with what they describe as an explosion in illegal tobacco sales on high street shops. The products being seized include counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco smuggled into the country to avoid tax. Officers involved in the raids say the same premises are sometimes targeted again and again because illegal stock keeps turning up.
They link the trade to organised crime and say the scale of the problem is making enforcement increasingly difficult. The BBC joined Trading Standards officers on raids in Inverness, where investigators were checking shops suspected of selling fake or untaxed cigarettes.
Raids in Inverness keep turning up suspicious stock
During the Inverness inspections, officers said they had raided some shops many times and were still finding fake cigarettes. That repeated pattern, they said, shows how quickly illegal tobacco can reappear on sale even after enforcement action. The concern is not only about consumer fraud, but also about the wider criminal networks believed to be supplying the goods.
Trading Standards say the issue is not confined to one town. They describe it as UK-wide, with high street retailers used to move products that either imitate genuine brands or arrive through smuggling routes designed to evade duty. The officers featured in the raids argue that current powers are not enough to keep up with the trade.
Why officers say the trade is hard to stop
Illegal tobacco can undercut legitimate businesses and place customers at risk of buying products of unknown quality. Officers say the criminal groups involved are often well organised and able to replace seized stock quickly, which makes repeat visits to the same premises necessary. That, they say, adds to the pressure on Trading Standards teams already trying to cover large areas.
The officers also say the problem is closely tied to tax evasion, because counterfeit and smuggled tobacco is brought in to avoid the duties paid on legal goods. They want stronger powers so they can respond more effectively when they find shops selling illicit stock. The raids in Inverness were presented as part of a broader enforcement effort against the trade.
Scottish government says illicit tobacco remains a serious issue
The Scottish government said illicit tobacco is a serious issue and that it is working with partners to consider the best way to deal with it. It did not set out any immediate new measures, but said the problem requires continued co-operation between enforcement bodies and other agencies.
The BBC footage from Inverness showed Trading Standards officers carrying out checks as part of that wider effort. For local teams, the challenge is to interrupt a trade that can be hidden inside ordinary-looking shops on the High Street. Officers say repeated raids show the scale of the problem and why they believe extra enforcement tools are needed.
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