Public urged to report illegal tobacco 'stash cars'

A council is encouraging residents to help drive out organised crime after two vehicles with illegal tobacco were seized.

Oxfordshire County Council's trading standards team said the "stash cars" were found thanks to recent multi-agency operations.

The local authority said the parked vehicles, typically left near shops, were increasingly being used by criminals to store counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco.

Members of the public were urged not to confront suspected sellers, but report suspicious vehicles, including make, model, registration number and location.

Signs of a "stash car" include frequent and brief visits by individuals retrieving small bags or packages and transactions taking place directly from its window or boot, the council said.

Davina Walkin, trading standards operations manager, said reporting suspicious activities around vehicles near local shops "can directly help keep our community safe and stub out the sale of these illegal products".

Kate Gregory, cabinet member for public health and inequalities, said: "The sale of illegal tobacco disadvantages legitimate local businesses, undermines efforts to reduce smoking and funds wider organised crime gangs.

"Unregulated counterfeit products also pose a heightened health risk, as they bypass strict safety standards on fire safety and are often sold cheaply to children by criminals who do not care about age restrictions."