Trading Standards Officers have seized a major haul of counterfeit and illicit cigarettes and tobacco.
24,500 cigarettes and 7.55kg of hand rolling tobacco were removed from four premises in Coatbridge, Airdrie, Wishaw and Newmains.
The team were helped by Boo, a dedicated tobacco detection dog, who found the concealed products.
The action was part of Operation CeCe Scotland, a joint initiative between Scottish trading standards services and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tackle the illegal tobacco trade at retail level.
“This is an excellent outcome for our officers, taking a significant quantity of illegal cigarettes and tobacco out of circulation and protecting the public,” said Councillor Helen Loughran, Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee.
“Counterfeit tobacco has often been found to contain more tar and carbon monoxide than legal products and, in some cases, glass and rat droppings. Some illegally manufactured cigarettes also do not self-extinguish, as legal cigarettes do, which could lead to house fires.”
“The trade in illegal tobacco products costs the Treasury £2 billion each year and harms legitimate businesses, as well as presenting a serious danger to public health,” said Paul Bannister, Protective Services Manager.
HMRC encourages anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco to report it online or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.
Boo, a Labrador/German Wirehaired Pointer cross, is funded by the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland which represents all 32 local authority trading standards services.