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<p>In January 2021 HMRC and National Trading Standards launched Operation CeCe. This
joint initiative builds on decades of partnership working with local Trading Standards
Officers.</p><p> </p><p>This supports them to undertake enforcement activity including
the sharing of information and intelligence to target and seize illegal tobacco, disruption
of the illicit tobacco market and prevention of fraud in their area. In its first
two years of operation more than 28 million cigarettes and nearly 8 tonnes of illicit
hand rolling-tobacco were seized.</p><p> </p><p>In January this year, HMRC published
a new Illicit Tobacco Strategy ‘Stubbing out the problem’. The Strategy sets out how
HMRC intends to build on the success of Operation CeCe by increasing the level of
funding available to Trading Standards so that it can have an even greater impact
in tackling the illicit tobacco trade.</p>
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