New figures reveal that 1.7 million illicit cigarettes have been removed from Lincolnshire’s streets since 2023, with more than 760,000 seized during the last year alone.
Almost 30,000 illegal vapes and 7,600kg of hand rolling tobacco have also been confiscated over the same three-year period, a report shows.
By law, cigarettes sold in the UK are required to pass ignition propensity testing, meaning they must self-extinguish if not continually smoked.
Worryingly, illegal cigarettes are more likely not to adhere to this essential safety standard, with their failure to self-extinguish leading to fatal house fires in Lincolnshire.
On top of this, the illegal tobacco trade contributes to other serious criminality, with shops selling the products often staffed by people with no legal right to work in the UK.
Lincolnshire Trading Standards continues to work proactively with Lincolnshire Police and Immigration Enforcement, pioneering a combination of enforcement activity to clamp down on the criminal activity.
Staff conduct regular test purchases and inspections, seizing illegal products. They apply for closure orders, shutting offending shops for up to three months (the maximum period allowed by law).
Once the illegal activity has been disrupted by the closure order, staff work with landlords to evict the criminals from the premises permanently, bringing criminal cases before the courts were appropriate.
Cllr Alex McGonigle, executive councillor for community safety at Lincolnshire County Council, said:
“Speaking as a former firefighter myself, it's incredibly concerning that illegal cigarettes bypass the very fire safety regulations that are in place to protect people. In Lincolnshire we have we seen lives and homes devastated by preventable fires caused by illegal cigarettes that didn’t self-extinguish.
“Every single illegal cigarette sold puts a person’s life at risk, so whilst removing 1.7 million of them from our streets is a brilliant result, we are not stopping there and will continue to work with Lincolnshire Police to stub out the sale of these unsafe products.
“The intelligence we receive from local communities on the ground is absolutely vital. If you’re reading this and have information relating to the sale of illegal tobacco, please tell us what you know and help keep your community safe.”
Report it
Residents can help by reporting instances of illegal tobacco sales or associated criminality. Reporting helps to build a better intelligence picture, to better evidence criminal activity, and to proactively disrupt organised criminals.
Reporting is easy and 100% anonymous. Call Crimestoppers today: 0800 555 111, or give information online: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information
The figures form part of a report that will be discussed by councillors at the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 5 May 2026.