TRADING Standards officers have seized almost £4,000 worth of illegal tobacco after discovering it hidden in a car linked to a Forest of Dean shop.

During a routine inspection of the premises, officers found a large quantity of illegal tobacco stored in a vehicle parked at the rear of the shop. Evidence gathered during the investigation connected the car to the business, suggesting the tobacco was being kept off-site to avoid detection.

It is becoming increasingly common for stores to keep illegal tobacco off-site to avoid detection during inspections. Gloucestershire Trading Standards carries out regular checks across the county to ensure illegal products are not being sold to the public and to deter organised criminal activity.

Officers were able to seize 343 packets of cigarettes and

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