ESSEX Police have seized thousands of pounds of illegal vapes and tobacco products hidden in businesses across Essex as part of our ongoing partnership work to prevent organised crime.
We are working with Trading Standards, Border Force and HMRC as part of Operation Machinize, a national operation targeting cash-based money laundering and the illegal trade in tobacco and vapes.
The operation focuses on identifying criminal activity within high street businesses, using intelligence, inspections, and enforcement to disrupt organised crime.
In the last fortnight alone we have identified and targeted businesses in Clacton , Colchester, Harlow, Chelmsford, Basildon, Braintree, Witham, Harwich, Thorpe-le-Soken, Walton-on-the-Naze and Jaywick.
On 8 October, our officers and partners attended four premises in Clacton simultaneously, uncovering hundreds of packs of cigarettes, tobacco and vapes in hidden compartments and a bin in order to avoid detection. All these goods were seized and our investigation into this is ongoing.
Then, at premises across the Braintree district on 15 October, officers found more of the same goods from two businesses, as well as a vehicle filled with illegal cigarettes which was also seized.
This work has led to the seizure of:
• 98,500 cigarettes
• 47.5kg of hand-rolling tobacco
• 3,141 vapes
The total value of all these goods is estimated at just over £60,000 – as well as another £6,000 cash seized by officers believed to be connected to criminality.
Led by the National Crime Agency and supported by our work, Machinize aims to protect communities and dismantle criminal networks.
Detective Chief Inspector Terry Balding said: “This sends a clear message to criminals: those exploiting legitimate businesses for illegal gain will be found and prosecuted.
“Our work with partners on disrupting organised crime in this way goes on year-round, identifying the groups and where they may seek to launder their money and hide their offending.
“More than 80% of the premises visited had issues regarding the sale of these illegal products – with the further intelligence we’ve gathered that number will only increase.
“It’s a constantly developing intelligence picture, and it’s only by working together, with the support of the National Crime Agency, that we can find those further up the chain and make them face justice.”
