One of the concealments was found behind a defunct double socket. It was cut out to show a rolling shelf stacked with illicit cigarettes.
Published Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 15:45
Businesses across the borough were targeted in an operation recently for illicit vapes and cigarettes, with successful results.
On Thursday 26 February, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Trading Standards team along with Blackburn with Darwen Police and a sniffer dog undertook Operation Baseline, where eight businesses were targeted across Blackburn with Darwen.
The businesses were chosen based on previous intelligence, for example selling illicit tobacco or vapes to an underage test purchaser, or from complaints from members of the public.
A substantial number of cigarettes, tobacco and vapes were found that shouldn’t be on sale, either because they didn’t state ‘UK Duty Paid’ on the labelling or were not recognised as legitimate products.
In one shop in Blackburn, the shop keeper surrendered a plastic bag of illicit cigarettes and tobacco upon arrival of the team. However, after a thorough search, despite the shop owner saying they had caught the bus that day, their car was found to be full of cigarettes, tobacco and vapes. As a result, almost 22,000 illicit cigarettes, 6.6kg of tobacco and 97 vapes were seized at an estimated value of over £20,000. In addition, the police confiscated £2,300 in cash and the car of the shop owner.
In a Darwen shop, two secret concealments of cigarettes were found in the storeroom. One concealment was hidden behind what looked like a live double socket, but in fact, came off to reveal a compartment with stock that could be rolled back and forth to get the desired cigarette packet.
At another premises in Blackburn, a secret hide was found above the shop in a toilet. Pulling on a coat hook allowed the wall to open and reveal an old fridge freezer stuffed with illicit stock. 14,040 cigarettes were found as well as 900g tobacco, worth over £10,000 in total. Luckily the sniffer dog was able to identify the tobacco despite it being within a closed fridge freezer kept behind the false wall.
Across the four shops, almost 49,000 cigarettes were found, worth a staggering £36,500. 10.2kg of tobacco was also found, worth £6,700; as well as 206 vapes.
The products seized will be referred to the HMRC track and trace team, who will likely issue fines to the business owners in the region of £5,000 – £10,000.
Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment and Resident Services said:
What another incredible operation led by our efficient Trading Standards staff. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it is absolutely crucial that we do this invaluable work to take illegitimate products off the street.
Residents come first and we do everything in our power to protect them.
Buying these products puts people in danger and fuels organised crime.
By seizing stock and giving considerable fines to these business owners, it shows them that we are serious about stopping the sale of illicit products in the borough.
Anyone who has intelligence for our Trading Standards team on businesses acting unlawfully can contact the team through Citizens Advice.