Search dog sniffs out thousands of pounds worth of illicit tobacco across Moray

Thousands of pounds worth of illicit tobacco has been seized from shops across Moray with the help of a specialist search dog.

Enforcement officers from Moray Council’s Trading Standards department, with support from Police Scotland and Moray Community Wardens, recently visited businesses in the area with a specialist tobacco detection dog and her handler after receiving intelligence on illegal products being sold.

Officers seized a £4,000 worth quantity of illicit tobacco from businesses in Buckie and Elgin on September 18.

A report will be submitted to HMRC.

Chair of Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure services committee, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco undermines responsible local businesses, and puts unregulated and potentially unsafe products into the hands of the public.

“Our Trading Standards team, with the support of our partners, will continue to take firm action against those who choose to ignore the law.”

Chief inspector Michael McKenzie, local area commander, said: “We were pleased to support Moray Council’s Trading Standards team during this operation. The supply of illegal tobacco is a concern for local communities, and we will continue to work with partners to take action where offences are identified.

“The public’s assistance remains vital, and I would encourage anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco to report them to Trading Standards or Police Scotland.”