Three men have been arrested after 40,000 illicit cigarettes were seized in Boston, Lincolnshire, in an ongoing crackdown on illegal tobacco sales.
Thousands of illicit cigarettes and 300 illegal vapes were uncovered during raids at Market Azadi and The Fruit Shop on 13 March. Further cigarettes were later recovered from a house and a vehicle in the town, reported Lincolnshire County Council.
Following the raids, three men aged 26, 32 and 37 were arrested.
The latest enforcement action was part of Operation Nivada – a partnership between Lincolnshire Trading Standards, Lincolnshire Police and Home Office Immigration and Enforcement to tackle the sale of illegal tobacco products across the county.
Cllr Alex McGonigle of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Every single illegal cigarette we remove from our communities is a victory that protects the safety of our residents, so to seize 40,000 in a single day is a brilliant result.
“Not only does the sale of these products contribute to anti-social behaviour and bankroll organised crime, the cigarettes themselves are a hazard, and a leading cause of house fires.
“I am incredibly grateful to our partners at Lincolnshire Police who continue to prioritise this essential work. By working together, we can ensure we act swiftly and decisively to stub out this criminal activity wherever it rears its ugly head.”
Almost 900,000 illegal cigarettes, 4,600 illicit vapes and 370kg of hand rolling tobacco have been seized by Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Lincolnshire Police since January 2025.
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