More than three-fifths of independent tobacco retailers visited in Grimsby and Cleethorpes have been found to be selling illicit tobacco, a new operation has discovered.
The operation, conducted in February 2026, visited 38 independent shops selling tobacco - 23 of which (61%) were found to be selling illegal tobacco.
Of the 23 shops found to be selling illicit tobacco this year, 22 had been subject to JTI test purchasing in previous years. Of those, three sold illegal tobacco in all three years, four were found to be complicit in both 2023 and 2024, and five were complicit in both 2024 and 2025.
These findings suggest enforcement in the region is not deterring independent shops from selling illegal goods and committing criminal offences.
HMRC estimates the issue of illegal tobacco is costing the Treasury over £2bn nationally each tax year.
New polling commissioned by JTI’s It Costs More Than You Think campaign found 80% of residents questioned in North and North East Lincolnshire believe there is not enough enforcement, while 76% of those questioned believe politicians are not doing enough to tackle illegal tobacco trading.
Locals also understand the impact illegal tobacco has on legitimate retailers on the high street, with 59% of those surveyed finding it very concerning that local businesses are struggling to compete with sellers of illegal tobacco.
The majority of the retailers visited that were found to be selling illegal tobacco kept illegal stock in a separate backroom. One stored their product in another premises just four doors down.
The National Crime Agency’s 2025 Operation Machinise highlighted how barbershops and other cash-intensive businesses can have links to organised crime and the selling of illicit goods on the high street.
Over two-thirds (76%) of respondents in north and north east Lincolnshire agree that raising prices and taxes on legal tobacco are pushing people in their local area towards criminal behaviour, such as buying illegal tobacco.
All evidence gathered from the test purchases will be handed to Trading Standards and HMRC.
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