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Parents warned over rogue ciggie dealers
PARENTS are being warned to watch out for rogue dealers in a bid to stub out illegal tobacco sales.
The advice is from Better Health's Illegal Tobacco – Stamp it Out campaign, which stopped off in Hartlepool to raise awareness of fake and bootlegged cigarettes.
Campaigners say the area has problems with illicit tobacco, which they say is often linked to organised crime and costs the Government 2.5bn every year.
Children are said to be particularly vulnerable to the careless crooks, who don't check ages, sell single cigarettes and do not know what is actually in the goods they peddle.
The campaign is made up of Fresh Smoke Free North East, police forces, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and trading standards officers working together to wipe out illegal sales.
Andy Lloyd, media, communications and social networking manager for Fresh Smoke Free North East, said: "We are trying to raise awareness about the real problems that illegal tobacco causes in communities.
"Nine out of 10 people think it is a danger to communities. It allows people to smoke cheaply and get their hands on cigarettes without the checks that shops make.
"It brings criminals into communities and is linked to both low-level and large-scale organised crime.
"This campaign is basically aimed at showing people they can do something to stop it."
He urges those suspicious of there being a "tab house" or someone selling cigarettes illegally to tell the police, even if it is done anonymously.
The campaign is using an ice cream van as it tours the north of the country because of past cases where sellers have sold cigarettes along with cones and sweets.
Mr Lloyd added: "A very small minority of ice cream sellers have had a history of selling counterfeit or bootlegged tobacco from their vans.
"This shows how these people work and how they exploit people, particularly children, but I stress that it is only a very small minority of ice cream sellers.
"Parents should keep a close eye on where their children are going if they are suspicious of them smoking.
"Children obviously don't have a lot of money and often buy just one cigarette at a time, so things like ice cream vans are ideal to sell from.
"People should also be wary of tab houses, where people are going in and out at all times."
Ice cream seller Rob Robson, 57, added: "People who sell cigarettes out of ice cream vans ruin the reputations of the majority of honest sellers.
"I believe children shouldn't smoke and so do all the people I know.
"I smoked 60-a-day from when I was 13 until just 14 years ago. It really isn't worth it."
If you have information about the illegal sale of tobacco ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111
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Weather for Hartlepool
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
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