A MAJOR haul of 1,000 hidden illegal cigarette packets were sniffed out in a Slough shop’s toilet ceiling – thanks to man’s best friend.

Yoyo the sniffer dog found hundreds of packets of illegal, smuggled, or counterfeit tobacco hidden in the ceiling of a shop toilet during a check of six shops.

The spaniel was part of the team which was commissioned by the council’s trading standards and licensing teams to investigate the stores in the borough as each had been highlighted as a concern for selling illegal tobacco.

Yoyo, who works with BWY Canine, sniffed out two illegal hauls with his handler.

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In one, 1,000 packets were found in a secret compartment discovered in a toilet ceiling, and in the other shop, 400 hidden packets were discovered.

The tobacco included illegal cigarettes, hand-rolling, and smokeless tobacco. No duty would have been paid on any of the packets, which would be sold cheaply at the shops.

Offences committed when selling illegal tobacco products included a lack of plain packaging with non-English or non-statutory health warnings, or the lack of pictorial statutory warnings.

Cases are in the process of being prepared for appropriate enforcement action against the two stores.

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Dean Cooke, the council’s principal trading standards officer, said: “It was vitally important to carry out this enforcement work, after many months of restrictions due to the pandemic.

“We thank the traders which are still complying with tobacco control legislation and we continue to support them by working to eliminate any unfair competition from businesses that are flouting the law.

“Any intelligence available about non-compliant businesses is very gratefully appreciated by Trading Standards, and please continue to report these contraventions.”

Councillor Balvinder Bains, cabinet member for regulation and public protection, said: “Selling cheap and potentially dangerous tobacco products is wrong. “Not only can they cause more problems for those using the tobacco, but such shops are not competing in a level market in the borough, putting other law-abiding shops at a disadvantage.”