This week we carried out raids at two premises in Ipswich and Stowmarket. With help from a specially trained tobacco dog from Wagtail UK Limited we seized illegal tobacco and illegal vapes from the two stores. Sniffer dog Skye uncovered hundreds of packets of illegal cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and vapes which had been carefully concealed. In total over 1200 packets of tobacco and 270 vapes were seized by Trading Standards. This operation took place as part of Operation CeCe which is a joint initiative between National Trading Standards and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) as part of a wider government strategy to disrupt every aspect of the illegal tobacco market. The vapes seized did not meet the legal requirements and all the tobacco products are suspected to be illegally imported into the UK, without duty being paid and do not comply with the legal packaging and labelling requirements. Several of the tobacco products are also suspected to be counterfeits of popular brands. The seized products will now be fully assessed as part of the investigations to determine the exact offences that have been committed, and the action that will be taken. Thank you to Ipswich Police and Stowmarket Police for their assistance. Also, a special thanks to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service who helped to put some extra muscle behind breaking into a concealment. You can report the sale of illegal tobacco to us via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
Suffolk Trading Standards Imports Team have detained a consignment of 851 unsafe Pet Heating Pads. Testing found that the product failed to meet the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, posing an electrical shock risk. The goods were imported from China and destined for sale on Amazon. The listings have been removed from the site and the goods will be destroyed. If you have purchased a product that you think may be unsafe, stop using it immediately and report it to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. Make sure you only buy products from a reputable retailer. If buying on an online marketplace such as Amazon or eBay, make sure you check the details of the seller and that they have a UK address. Check the reviews for the product to see what others have said, and remember, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Small businesses beware! As we enter the Christmas Craft Market season, we are seeing fake Craft Fair adverts popping up all over the local Facebook community groups. The posts advertise a fictional craft fayre, fair or similar event which claims to be held at a local hall. The organiser calls out for stall holders to sign up and pay a sum of money to them. In reality there is no event and the fraudster is hoping people will send them a stall holders pitch fee.
- Scam craft fair red flags
- Venue is not tagged in post
- Requests people to send a private message
- Requests a "friends and family" payment via PayPal
- No event advertised on the venue's page
Please do your homework before booking into any events and make sure the person advertising such events is a genuine organiser. Call the venue first and double check the event, before parting with any money. If people spot an advert on social media and think it may be a scam, please report it to the admin of the social media page that you see them on so that they can be removed straight away.
A new survey shows one in six motorists have purchased a counterfeit car part in the past 12 months. Are you one of them? Because #FakeAlwaysBreaks, they are more likely to fail and endanger road users, putting lives at risk. We’re proud to be supporting the Intellectual Property Office’s campaign. Find out more here: https://it.ly/fakealwaysbreaks
Buying an e-bike or e-scooter? Do your research: Buy your e-bike or e-scooter from trusted sellers and look at reviews first. Products sold to UK consumers must meet UK safety laws: check whether the seller provides information about how they comply. For guidance visit gov.uk/buy-safe
All bird keepers are urged to remain vigilant and take action to protect their birds following a further increase in the avian influenza (‘bird flu’) risk levels in Great Britain. The risk level of HPAI H5 in poultry where there is suboptimal or poor biosecurity has increased to medium with low uncertainty. The risk level where good biosecurity is consistently applied at all times remains assessed as low with low uncertainty and the risk level in wild birds remains assessed as high. Practicing good biosecurity at all times protects the health and welfare of your birds and for commercial keepers will help protect your business from HPAI and other diseases. Find out what you can do to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading and how to spot and report it in poultry or other captive birds.
Iceland recall Naughty Elf Doll due to a risk of cuts and injuries.
Due to a manufacturer defect some products may have an accessible sharp edge that could present a risk of cuts and injuries.
Product Code: XMA6032/OB
Batch Codes: 25009 & 23294
Barcode: 5056283860324
Consumers in possession of the naughty elf doll should check their batch details which can be found on the product packaging directly above the barcode label. Any consumers who have purchased one of the affected products should stop using it immediately and return it to their place of purchase for a full refund.