A crackdown on illegal tobacco has seen more than 778,000 cigarettes seized by Glasgow trading standards officers in the past two years.
The news comes after it was revealed officers in Glasgow also seized more than 13,000 non-compliant single-use vapes in the final three months of last year. Sniffer dogs have been trained to target the scent of tobacco and can help officers find hidden products, such as under floorboards or behind false walls.
“It also harms the legitimate businesses which serve our communities and reduces the amount of tax coming in to fund vital public services.” There has been a “surge” in the illegal sale of vaping products over the past year, the council report added, and the “rapid expansion of the market for disposable nicotine devices is a concern”.
Councillor Kelly said: “We are seeing more and more disposable vapes littering our streets and green spaces, because people are just dropping them at their feet when they are empty.