GWENT Police seized almost £2m worth of illegal vape and tobacco products in the last 15 months.
Operation Firecrest was run through a partnership between Gwent Police and Newport City Council Trading Standards.
The operation saw closure orders issued at more than 50 premises selling illegal vapes and tobacco products in the Newport area.
Since Operation Firecrest was launched in October 2023, more than 330,000 illegal cigarettes and 23,000 vaping devices have been seized by the police.
Chief Inspector Stevie Warden told the BBC: “You may look at vapes as a simple nuisance, but it’s not.
“If that £2m… had gone into feed the organised crime gangs, it would have a huge effect on the persons within our community.”
Gwent Police released the following statement: “A successful partnership between Gwent Police and our friends at Newport City Council Trading Standards has seized almost £2m worth of illegal vape and tobacco products in the last 15 months.
“Operation Firecrest has seen closure orders issued against more than 50 premises selling illegal vapes and tobacco products in the Newport area.
“More than 330,000 illegal cigarettes and 23,000 vaping devices have been seized since Firecrest was launched in October 2023.”
Earlier this year, Newport City Council released a report stating that organised crime groups were selling illegal vaping products as part of their crime portfolio.
Two weeks ago it was reported that Newport City Council Trading Standards had confiscated goods at 25 businesses since April, worth an estimated £533,000.
Among the items the officers seized were 92,000 cigarettes, 80kg of tobacco, 130 counterfeit goods and 6,000 “unsafe” vapes.
Trading standards “routinely” seizes illegal products, and also targets businesses to make sure under-18s are not able to buy age-restricted items such as vapes and cigarettes.
Tobacco products seized by Newport City Council trading standards officers. (Credit: Newport City Council)
So far this year, the team has used volunteers to test 49 retailers in Newport, of which eight have failed to comply with the rules.
The businesses which failed received further guidance on the rules, a council report shows.
Last year, the council’s trading standards team seized illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes worth £600,000 – and found 17 of 60 businesses failed so-called test purchases for sales of age-restricted products to children.