A GILLINGHAM shop was one of six visited across Dorset by police as part of a crackdown on the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes.

The force, which was joined by a specialist tobacco detection dog, found illicit goods at five of the six shops they attended as part of a two-day operation in Weymouth, Ferndown and Gillingham.

This includes 17,000 individual cigarettes, 15.75 kg of hand-rolling tobacco, 1,300 vapes, shisha tobacco and 30 tubs of nicotine pouches.

Councillor Gill Taylor, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for health and housing, which includes community safety and regulatory services, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes not only harms the health of Dorset residents but undermines legitimate businesses.

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“I thank our team, our colleagues at Dorset Police and at HMRC for this successful operation.

Picture: Dorset Council

“These vital multi-agency operations are designed to disrupt and frustrate the supply of illegal products and we will continue working closely with our partners to disrupt these criminal networks.

“We urge anyone with information to come forward and report it.”

The police also seized suspected controlled drugs, with enquiries ongoing, and HMRC seized three vehicles used to store tobacco and vapes, which will either be scrapped or auctioned.

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