An illegal tobacco and alcohol operation has been uncovered by Liverpool City Council.
The city’s pioneering Illegal Alcohol and Tobacco Unit (ATU) discovered nearly 800 packets of fake Superking cigarettes and pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco, both weighing in at over 25kg.
The team, which has been set up in the last couple of months, visited the Anfield shop following a tip-off from the local community, and found the tobacco hidden in mailbags in the cellar.
An examination of the haul revealed the tobacco was illegally imported from Spain and the packaging carried no legal health warnings.
Liverpool City Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, Councillor Berni Turner, said: “Counterfeit cigarettes are a fraction of the price of legal ones, but people who buy them are paying with their health.
“Fake cigarettes can be found to have dangerously high levels of chemicals in them, including arsenic, and other substances such as glass fibre and even rat droppings.
“Liverpool’s Alcohol and Tobacco Unit is invaluable and the work they undertake across the city is already having a positive impact on people’s health.”
During the investigation of the newsagent, an ATU officer was also sold alcohol despite the fact that the shop doesn’t have a licence.
The investigation into the management of the premises is described as "ongoing".
The ATU is part of the city council’s Trading Standards Service, and is funded by Liverpool’s Primary Care Trust (PCT).
Gideon Ben-Tovim, Chair of Liverpool PCT said: “This significant seize of illegal tobacco vindicates the investment of £1.1 million over three years, made by Liverpool PCT to establish the Alcohol and Tobacco unit. Our aim through the enforcement programme is to restrict the supply of illegal tobacco, which is being sold at knockdown prices in many of our poorest communities.
“Counterfeit cigarettes often do not carry warning health messages and are more dangerous for people’s health because they contain higher levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide than genuine brands.
"This is a great achievement for the Unit and I’m pleased that such a large amount of counterfeit tobacco, as well as counterfeit cigarettes, has been seized so they can no longer pose a health danger to the people of Liverpool.”
The ATU is a partnership between Liverpool City Council, Liverpool PCT and Merseyside Police.
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