Mohammed Rajak, a Glasgow-based grocer with 35 years of experience, identifies illicit tobacco and vape sales as the most significant threat to his livelihood. He observes a shift in customer behavior, noting that individuals now openly inquire about cheap tobacco, a change from the previously subdued approach. Rajak highlights the proximity of suspected illicit sellers and their willingness to serve anyone, including minors, due to the absence of regulatory risk.
Trading Standards in Scotland describes the proliferation of illicit tobacco as an “explosion” across high streets. These products, often produced in unregulated factories, may contain hazardous substances such as rat droppings and woodchips. The issue extends beyond tax evasion, directly supporting organized crime, as evidenced by repeated raids in Inverness. Despite enforcement efforts, Trading Standards faces limitations, possessing only the authority to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for underage sales, unlike their counterparts in England and Wales who can close offending businesses. Freedom of Information requests reveal varying enforcement activity across Scottish councils, with some areas issuing few notices over the past decade, while others, like North Lanarkshire, have issued over 200. Public health experts emphasize the broader implications, warning that illicit products undermine health protection efforts by circumventing safety standards.