Police and trading standards officers have seized more than 670,000 illicit cigarettes and 17,000 illegal vapes during last year.
The figures are a massive 150 per cent rise over the previous year and 2024 also saw 68 shops issued with closure orders.
Lincolnshire police and the county council have been giving some behind the scenes footage from some of the raids they have been involved with.
With hidden micro switches used to reveal concealed bundles of tobacco and cigarettes, the footage highlights the lengths gone to by those wishing to profit from the illegal sales.
There have been several closure orders issued against businesses in South Holland over the past year.
Local police inspector Matt Dickinson said the force has been working with the legislation available to shut-down businesses.
“Issuing a closure order means that we have gathered enough evidence to confirm that criminal activity is being undertaken at the premises. This evidence comes from our proactive investigations and vital information collated from our communities by the police, trading standards and other partner agencies.
“Closure orders are obtained from a Magistrate’s Court to close shope involved in criminal activity for three months,” he said.
Three months is the maximum time an order can be invoked with the current law. But breaching an order can lead to arrest, fines or imprisonment.
Insp Dickinson said he was working to lobby for change in the legislative limits.
Operation Nivada has been launched to highlight the problem of illegal tobacco and vapes which can be linked to other criminal activity, including people trafficking and money laundering.
“Make no mistake – these items are unsafe. Not only can they contain harmful, unregulated substances that damage health, they have also caused fatal house fires in Lincolnshire,” said Coun Daniel McNally, member for trading standards.
“There is absolutely no place for these illicit products on Lincolnshire’s streets. The criminals have been put on notice, we will continue to clamp down hard on the unscrupulous individuals who sell them.
Trading standards employ a variety of tactics to identify the illegal sales.
