A MAJOR multi-agency operation targeting the illegal trade of tobacco and vape products has led to over £75,000 worth of goods seized from Essex businesses.

As part of Operation Machinize, Essex Trading Standards has been working alongside Essex Police, Border Force, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Department of Work and Pensions and the National Crime Agency to disrupt organised crime networks exploiting high street businesses.

Throughout October, officers visited 36 premises across Clacton, Colchester, Harlow, Chelmsford, Basildon and Braintree . Illegal tobacco was found at more than 30 locations, while non-compliant single use vapes were seized at 18 addresses.

The operation resulted in the seizure of:

• 116,000 cigarettes
• More than 54kg of hand-rolling tobacco, valued at £42,980
• 4,300 illegal or non-compliant vapes, valued at £32,317
• £6,000 in cash
• One uninsured vehicle

£75,298 worth of illicit goods were seized in total by Essex Trading Standards, with further investigations ongoing.

Detective Chief Inspector Terry Balding at Essex Police said: “This operation sends a clear message: we will not tolerate the abuse of legitimate businesses to hide criminal activity. The scale of what we’ve uncovered shows how embedded this trade is, but it also shows what we can achieve when we work together.

“More than 80% of the premises we visited had issues with illegal products. That’s a significant figure and with the intelligence we continue to gather we expect that proportion to rise.

“The more we know, the faster we can identify those people and organisations breaking the law and tackle them quickly.

“But our work doesn’t stop here. We’re committed to identifying those higher up the chain and ensuring they face justice.”

Councillor Mark Durham, Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards at Essex County Council, said: “This result sends a clear message to illicit tobacco and vape sellers that we will work with partners to act on intelligence and crack down on the trade. 

“These products are not only illegal, they’re often unsafe and sold to children. I want to thank our Trading Standards officers and partners for their hard work. They are helping keep people safe and protect local businesses.” 

Operation Machinize is a national initiative led by the National Crime Agency, focusing on cash-based money laundering and the illegal trade in tobacco and vapes. It uses intelligence, inspections and enforcement to dismantle criminal networks and protect communities.