THOUSANDS of illegal cigarettes amounting to the value of £24,000 were dumped in a field off Clay Lane in Crewe.
Cheshire East Council’s trading standards team are now asking the public for any information to help identify who dumped the 65,000 ‘cheap whites’.
The cigarettes are foreign imports brought into the UK, which are illegal due to the non-payment of duty.
Cllr Paul Bates, cabinet member for health and communities, said: “We are an enforcing council and work hard to keep harmful products off the streets. We are asking the local community to give us any information that could help to track down the criminals connected to this incident.
“There is far more to this than the non-payment of duty. The sale of illicit tobacco often has links to serious and organised crime and we also know that people who deal in illegal tobacco are more likely to encourage others, especially children and young adults to smoke.”
Offenders can face unlimited fines and up to 10 years in prison. You can report any information anonymously to the government’s keep it out website or by calling 0300 999 0000.
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