TEAMS of police and trading standards officers have this morning carried out raids in Colchester.

Two commercial and three residential premises were raided with counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco seized from an address.

The raids took place at Bar B Q, a takeaway restaurant in North Station Road, and Geylanii, a newsagent in St Botolph's Street.

Police also raided homes in Paxman Avenue, North Station Road and Bergholt Road.

A substantial quantity of illegal tobacco and cigarettes were seized from Geylanii.

The raids were part of Operation Trivium designed to combat foreign criminality across the country.

They were led by Trading Standards and supported by Essex Police.

Officers from Trading Standards are continuing to investigate before deciding whether and who to prosecute.

 

More to follow