Ice-cream vans used to sell illegal cigarettes
A campaign against the illicit tobacco trade has claimed ice-cream vans are being used to sell counterfeit cigarettes.
Revealing details of a fake cigarette haul from an ice-cream van in February, Imperial Tobacco said its campaign was important to highlight how counterfeit tobacco was sold in a variety of unlikely places.
The details emerged as part of the company’s latest instalment of its Suspect it? Report it! campaign.
The campaign’s latest poster also illustrates how criminals are targeting youngsters with the illegal products.
Peter Nelson, anti-illicit trade manager said: “Ice-cream vans are traditionally associated with fun and childhood innocence, but some criminals are cynically using them as fronts to distribute illegal tobacco.
“For instance, this February an ice-cream van was raided in County Durham. The haul allegedly contained 4,560 illicit cigarettes and 20.35kg of smuggled hand-rolling tobacco, with an estimated street value of £4000.”
Mr Nelson said it was believed the van often parked near primary schools, suggesting children may have been targeted.
“Our message remains clear,” he added. “If you’ve any suspicions regarding illegal tobacco activity, don’t be silent. Suspect it? Then protect your local community and Report it!”
