Illegal tobacco products worth an estimated £7,000 have been seized in Elgin and Buckie following joint enforcement operations carried out by Moray Council Trading Standards and Police Scotland on 30 April and 1 May 2026.
The raids, supported by a specialist tobacco detection dog, resulted in officers recovering 94 pouches of hand rolling tobacco and 210 packs of cigarettes during searches across the two Moray towns.
Officials say illicit tobacco remains a growing concern because the products are unregulated, often counterfeit, and can contain unknown substances that fail to meet UK safety standards.
Authorities also warned that illegal tobacco is commonly sold at lower prices because no duty has been paid, making it easier for young people to access.
Some counterfeit products may also lack basic fire safety protections, increasing the risk of accidental fires in homes and workplaces.
Enforcement agencies say the trade reaches far beyond cheap cigarettes, with links repeatedly identified between illegal tobacco sales and organised criminal networks.
There is also evidence suggesting profits from counterfeit tobacco have been used to fund wider criminal activity, including terrorism.
Moray Council says operations like these are designed not only to protect public health but also to support legitimate local retailers who are undercut by illegal sellers.
Beverly Smith, Head of Growth, Planning and Climate at Moray Council, said:
“This type of enforcement work is vital in protecting both public health and local businesses.
“Illegal tobacco is unregulated, and its sale contributes to wider criminal activity.
“We will continue to work with our partners to tackle this issue and hold those responsible to account.”
Police Scotland said partnership working remains key to disrupting the supply of counterfeit tobacco across communities in the north.
Chief Inspector Michael McKenzie, Local Area Commander for Police Scotland, said:
“We continue to support Moray Council’s Trading Standards team during such operations to reduce the circulation of illegal tobacco in our communities.
“The sale and supply of illegal tobacco can mask other forms of wider criminality, and it is important to act where offences are identified.
“The public’s assistance remains vital, and I would encourage anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco to report them to Trading Standards or Police Scotland.”
The latest seizures come as councils and police forces across Scotland continue efforts to clamp down on the illegal tobacco trade, which authorities say damages communities, harms legitimate businesses and fuels organised crime.
