Well-known brands are being sold cheaply to children, say investigators
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Cheap cigarettes smuggled from abroad and sold illegally in “tab houses” are getting children hooked on smoking, trading standards officers have warned.
About 30% of under 18s admit to buying illicit tobacco, particularly in areas of deprivation, officials say.
The cigarettes are sold from private homes without age checks, creating a new generation of smokers, they claim.
Tobacco smuggling is thought to cost the UK economy about £3bn a year in lost tax revenue.
‘Cheap whites’
Trading Standards say “tab houses” are a growing problem, often charging half as much as legitimate shops.
They are also said to introduce some children to cigarettes who might not otherwise be able to afford them.
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 We’re in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I’ve been conducting it’s clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid  Dr Rob Hornsby
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Richard Ferry, from Trading Standards North East, told the BBC: “About 30% of under 18s admit to buying cheap and illicit tobacco. It means they start smoking earlier and they can smoke more.
“The people who sell from tab houses don’t care who they sell to.”
Three types of “tabs” are being sold:
• Duty free cigarettes, which should be for personal use
• Counterfeit versions of well-known brands; and
• “Cheap whites” manufactured just for the illegal market
The UK Border Agency says it has reduced the proportion of illegal tobacco on the market using new technology including more powerful scanners at ports and airports.
On Tuesday it announced its biggest ever seizure – £120m worth of cigarettes found on a boat off the coast of Ireland.
Trading Standards say as they have cracked down on shops selling illegal tobacco, the problem has moved to private homes instead – undermining efforts to improve health in deprived areas.
Dr Rob Hornsby, a criminologist at Northumbria University, said: “We’re in a recession now, so people want goods cheaply. From the research I’ve been conducting it’s clear that the market in illegal cigarettes is still very solid.”
Chair: Jim Ferguson
