Illegal goods seized from 21 Tameside businesses

Illegal goods seized from 21 Tameside businesses

Thousands of illegal products from illicit vapes to botox have been seized from 21 premises in Tameside as part of a multi agency crackdown tackling organised crime and money laundering.

Tameside Council Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers worked with Greater Manchester Police, HMRC, UK Border Force and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service on three days of action during October as part of Operation Machinize.

They visited shops and a number of aesthetics businesses where they had received intelligence relating to the sale of illegal goods. A number of the premises had also sold illicit tobacco to test purchasers in the run up to the operation.

Trading standards officers seized a total of 2568 packets of illicit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, with an estimated street value of £13,630. They also seized 1652 illegal disposable vapes with an estimated street value of over £16,000, as well as illegal nicotine pouches, shisha products and smoking accessories.

Over 100 counterfeit Labubu toys, which as well as being fake also posed potential safety risks to children, were also uncovered in the operation.

During visits to a number of aesthetics businesses, 58 illegal products were seized by Environmental Health officers. The products included botox, which is now a prescription only product, and illegally labelled nasal tanning sprays, B12 injections, fillers and saline products.

Environmental Health officers, HMRC, UK Border Force and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue carried out further checks for breaches of their relevant legal requirements.

Operation Machinize is a national initiative launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) with funding from the Home Office to deal with issues including organised immigration crime (OIC), money laundering, drugs supply and the selling of illegal tobacco products and vapes.  Vulnerable people are often exploited through these types of criminality and the proceeds of crime are often used to fund further criminal activities.  

Investigations are ongoing and further enforcement action will be taken.

Tameside Council Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods Cllr Laura Boyle said: “This is a great result thanks to the dedicated efforts of our officers working with partners to crackdown on these rogue businesses that cause harm to our communities.

“Trade in illicit cigarettes, tobacco, vapes and other illegal goods supports crime rings, damages legitimate businesses, undermines public health and facilitates the supply of tobacco to young people.

“Our work does not stop here - we will continue to investigate and take enforcement action against those involved. Intelligence submitted to us from concerned members of the public is vital to our investigations and I’d like to thank those who came forward and shared information with us.”