CANINE crook catcher Billy has been sniffing his way around aseries of borough shops in the latest crackdown by Thurock Council on the sale of illegal tobacco products and vapes.

A boroughwide operation by the authority's Trading Standards team has seen 39,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 11kg of illicit hand rolling tobacco and over 700 illegal vapes seized.

Officers were joined by Billy the tobacco detecting dog as they carried out inspections of shops in Aveley, Grays and Tilbury. Billy can help sniff out tobacco no matter where it is and make sure that unscrupulous shop keepers cannot hide illicit or counterfeit stock.

Cllr Lynda Heath, cabinet member for Public Protection, Constitutional and Civic Affairs, said: "We will not tolerate the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes in our borough. These products often lack basic safety standards and can cause a serious harm to health.

"Thanks to the work of our Trading Standards team, we are keeping dangerous and unregulated products off the streets and out of the hands of our residents. Our work with the tobacco detection dogs means that there is nowhere that illicit tobacco or vapes can be hidden when officers carry out inspections.

"I would encourage residents to report any suspected illegal tobacco sales, your information could help stop others becoming ill as a result of being exposed to illicit tobacco or vapes."

If anyone has any information about the sale of illicit tobacco or illegal vapes from this premises or any others you can report it by calling 0808 223 1133 or through the council's website. 

Residents can also report underage tobacco or vape sales on its website at thurrock.gov.uk/underage-sales