- Request
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RE: I am writing to request information regarding the seizure of illegal/counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes within the jurisdiction of Lincolnshire County Council and subsequent prosecutions initiated by the trading standards officers. Specifically, I request the following information for each of the past five years, starting from January 1, 2019:
1) Seizure Data:
a) The total quantity of illegal/counterfeit tobacco (e.g., number of cigarettes, kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco, or other relevant measures) seized by trading standards officers each year.
b) The total number of instances (i.e., separate occasions) of such seizures each year.
2) Prosecutions:
a) The number of prosecutions launched by trading standards against sellers of illegal/counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes each year.
b) The number of successful prosecutions each year.
c) The number of unsuccessful prosecutions each year.
d) clarify any definitions used for "cases" or "illegal tobacco products" (e.g., counterfeit, smuggled, or non-compliant products). If certain data is unavailable or incomplete, please provide what is available and note any limitations. - Decision
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I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.
1) Seizure Data
Seized Products
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Tobacco
19,900g
398 packs
36,700g
734 packs
24,450g
489 packs
46,210g
924 packs
39,890g
798 packs
Cigarettes
320,015
16,001 packs
230,438
11,522 packs
70,950
3,548 packs
257,129
12,856 packs
266,513
13,326 packs
b) 2019 – 39 seizures
2020 – 29 seizures
2021 – 24 seizures
2022 – 43 seizures
2023 – 31 seizures
2) Prosecutions:
a) 2019 – 7 – based on date of offence
2020 – 12 – based on date of offence
2021 – 2 - based on date of offence
2022 – 14 - based on date of offence
2023 – 8 based on date of offence
b) 2019 – 6
2020 – 5
2021 – 6
2022 – 8
2023 – 11
c) 2019 – As determined by found not guilty – 0
2020 – As determined by found not guilty – 0
2021 – As determined by found not guilty – 0
2022 – As determined by found not guilty – 0
2023 – As determined by found not guilty – 0. 1 no evidence offered
d) This is not recorded in a format that is searchable for reporting purposes.
Tobacco products may be seized for being counterfeit, brands that are not for the UK market, tobacco sold without proper packaging or health warnings (standardised packaging), tobacco products that do not meet UK safety standards, tobacco products that are banned (eg menthol cigarettes, pack of 10, etc).
- Reference number
- FOI 12863189
- Date request received
- 24/06/25
- Date of decision
- 18/07/25