Report illegal tobacco

Report illegal tobacco

Help us tackle this kind of criminal activity and report people selling or supplying illegal tobacco.

You can report illegal tobacco trading a number of ways:

• report a business selling tobacco without paying the excise duty to the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) fraud hotline 0800 788 887
• report anonymously at Keep It Out, dedicated to illegal tobacco reporting using the anonymous reporting tool
• report anonymously via Crimestoppers either by calling 0800 555 111 or at https://crimestoppers-uk.org
• report via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06
• or you can report direct to Croydon Trading Standards via email to trading.standards@croydon.gov.uk

All forms of tobacco are harmful – cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco, niche tobacco – and regardless of whether it was bought from an illegal or legal source, 1 in 2 long-term tobacco users will die early as a result of smoking.

The illegal trade undermines the effectiveness of efforts by health services and smokers to reduce smoking. The illicit trade in tobacco products reduces the effectiveness of tobacco control measures because it is cheaper to buy and in some communities makes it easier for children to start smoking.

The illegal tobacco trade is often part of organised criminal activity and is linked to a range of other illegal trades including illegal alcohol and DVD production, people-trafficking and drug smuggling. There is also evidence to suggest that the illicit tobacco trade funds terrorism. 

Illegal tobacco can be counterfeit fake products or genuine products which have been smuggled into the country to avoid paying excise duty.