Tackling Illicit Tobacco, Vapes and Underage Sales
The sale of illicit tobacco, cigarettes and vapes, including to underage children, is a priority concern within the Kingsweston area. This type of activity undermines legitimate businesses, poses serious health risks and is often linked to wider criminality and organised offending within the community.
Your neighbourhood policing team is taking a robust approach, working proactively to identify and disrupt any premises suspected of being involved. We are committed to protecting young people, supporting compliant businesses and ensuring those who break the law are held accountable.
We are carrying out regular, targeted visits and licensing checks at local stores, working closely with partner agencies such as Trading Standards to ensure compliance with the law. A zero-tolerance approach is being applied where offences are identified. This includes:
- Seizure of illicit tobacco, cigarettes and vapes
- Test purchase operations to identify sales to underage individuals
- Formal action against premises, including warning notices and licence reviews
- Prosecution of offenders where appropriate
We rely on information from the community to help us take action. If you suspect a business is involved in the sale of illicit or underage-restricted products, please report it to Avon and Somerset Police via 101, or contact your local neighbourhood policing team using the details provided on your local beat page.
By working together, we can tackle this issue and help keep Kingsweston a safe and lawful place for everyone.
Actions
-
29 August 2026
a {
text-decoration: none;
color: #464feb;
}
tr th, tr td {
border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;
}
tr th {
background-color: #f5f5f5;
}The North Bristol team recently seized approximately £2,200 worth of illegal goods from the Lawrence Weston area, including illicit tobacco products, drug-laced sweets, and prescription medication.
Offences of this nature are often linked to wider criminal networks and can have a significant impact on our communities. Not only can counterfeit and unregulated products pose serious risks to the health and safety of those who use them, but the profits generated from their sale can also be used to fund organised crime, exploitation, and other harmful activities.
We remain committed to making our neighbourhoods safer and will continue to take positive action based on the intelligence provided by local residents. Every piece of information helps us build a clearer picture of criminal activity and enables us to target those responsible.
Thank you to everyone who continues to engage with us and share information. Your support and intelligence play a vital role in helping us protect our communities and make a real difference.
-
6 August 2026
The sale of illicit tobacco, cigarettes and vapes, including to underage children, remains a priority concern in Kingsweston. We continue to monitor reports and intelligence and work closely with Trading Standards and partner agencies to tackle illegal sales.
We will carry out targeted visits and enforcement activity where necessary to identify businesses that may be breaking the law and take appropriate action.
We rely on information from the community to help us address these concerns. If you have information about the sale of illicit or age-restricted products, please report it to us via 101 or through your local neighbourhood policing team.
By working together, we can help protect young people, support legitimate businesses and keep Kingsweston safe.