A team of special sniffer dogs have helped take thousands of illegal cigarettes and tobacco products off Warrington’s streets as part of a major crackdown.
Since August 2025, trading standard officers have carried out 11 targeted operations, spending around 450 hours tackling the illegal trade.
In total, they have seized:
- 255,420 illicit cigarettes
- 36.35kg of hand-rolling tobacco
- street value of £63,855 or equivalent legitimate retail price of £191,565.
Working alongside skilled officers, the team has deployed highly trained tobacco sniffer dogs, capable of detecting hidden stock concealed in walls, floors and specially adapted units.
Wagtail Ltd supplies specialist dogs and handlers to Warrington Trading Standards and Collin Singer, Wagtail spokesperson said: “Our detection dogs are trained to locate even the most carefully concealed tobacco products, and we’re proud to support Warrington in disrupting illegal trade and protecting local communities.”
Successful detection dogs combine high drive, strong motivation, confidence and focus, along with a natural desire to work closely with their handler. Selected for their enthusiasm to search and determination to locate a target scent, these dogs often view their work as a rewarding game, driven by the promise of a favourite toy. Typically drawn from gun dog breeds with strong hunting instincts—including springer spaniels, cocker spaniels, labradors and pointers—this natural aptitude is channelled into structured search activities that harness and refine their instincts.
Training can take several months, depending on the discipline, and includes intensive scent recognition, search pattern development and exposure to operational environments. At Wagtail, all dogs are trained using positive, reward-based methods, creating a strong association between locating a target scent and receiving a reward. Many of these dogs come from rescue centres or were previously unwanted pets whose high energy made them unsuitable for traditional homes. Through expert training, they are transformed into highly skilled detection dogs—playing a vital role in protecting communities and supporting law enforcement, and demonstrating a remarkable journey from overlooked to invaluable.
The dogs have helped uncover illegal products that would otherwise have gone unnoticed, giving officers a powerful edge in identifying concealed stock.
Cheshire Police, HMRC and Home Office Immigration have all been instrumental in the work undertaken to date. The crackdown has been made possible thanks to funding from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Operation CeCe, alongside additional support from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which has funded an additional officer to strengthen enforcement. Our Public Health team has also played a vital role in supporting the work.
Councillor John Kerr-Brown, Lead Member for Environment, Housing and Public Protection, said: “These are significant results and show we are taking strong action against criminals who think they can operate in Warrington. The scale of these seizures highlights just how important this work is in protecting our communities and ridding our high streets of illegal tobacco. Using specialist tools like the sniffer dog means we can stay one step ahead of those trying to hide illegal goods.”
The illegal tobacco and vape trade is often linked to organised crime and can bring serious harm into communities, exploiting local shops and targeting vulnerable residents.
We recognise there are strong views in the community about this issue. While closure orders can be used in certain cases, they require strict legal thresholds and are typically temporary. We will continue to work closely with partners, build robust cases and take action against repeat offenders.
Residents are also being urged to think carefully about where they buy tobacco and vaping products. While illegal goods may appear cheaper, they often fund organised crime, harm legitimate businesses and undermine public health efforts—while also increasing access to such products among young people.
Residents are encouraged to report concerns about illegal tobacco or vaping products to Trading Standards via Anonymous Reporting | Keep It Out
