Gransnet forums

News & politics

Kurdish illegals involved with selling coaband.

(120 Posts)
Liloldlady Thu 06-Nov-25 14:58:06

Surprised that no-one has voiced an opinion on this undercover BBC report, maybe everyone is speechless at yet another government failure.

petra Fri 07-Nov-25 22:47:34

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

Allira Fri 07-Nov-25 23:10:48

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

And peddled to schoolchildren.

Rosie51 Fri 07-Nov-25 23:16:59

Allira

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

And peddled to schoolchildren.

It's the schoolchildren I worry most for. They're so vulnerable to these people. The vapes contain who knows what. Even legal standard vapes are a cause for concern, wet lung etc but the unregulated ones....

NotSpaghetti Fri 07-Nov-25 23:59:14

dupes in terms of perfumes are normally taxed and legitimate goods.

Not like the tobacco/illegal vape products

mum2three Sat 08-Nov-25 06:00:58

I think at the moment, Britain is attracting criminals simply because everything is so lax. The drug trade is booming, shops are employing illegal workers, street theft is rife.

Maremia Sat 08-Nov-25 07:28:56

And people continue to purchase the products.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 08-Nov-25 07:54:15

NotSpaghetti

dupes in terms of perfumes are normally taxed and legitimate goods.

Not like the tobacco/illegal vape products

These were not dupes like we see in Aldi, M & S and local chemists.

These were being sold as authentic in poorly copied packaging made to be identical to the original products.

Who knows what chemicals they contained 🤷‍♀️

ViceVersa Sat 08-Nov-25 08:20:25

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

gringringrin And the 'legal' ones aren't?

petra Sat 08-Nov-25 08:37:11

ViceVersa

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

gringringrin And the 'legal' ones aren't?

Just a few unsavoury substances that Canadian authorities found in these cigarettes.
Human feces.
Dead flies.
Mould.
Insect eggs.
iccwbo.org/news-publications/news/counterfeit-cigarettes-contain-disturbing-toxic-substances/#:~:text=disturbing%20toxic%20substances-,31%20October%202011,That's%20not%20true.%E2%80%9D

NotSpaghetti Sat 08-Nov-25 08:54:31

GrannyGravy I was responding to your comments

I am fortunate enough not to have to resort to dupes

I totally get why people go down the dupe road especially when it comes to tweens wanting what their friends have in order to fit in.

I didn't read this as meaning fakes masquerading as real.

I thought of "dupes" as in legitimate fragrances. I misunderstood.

Oreo Sat 08-Nov-25 09:23:23

mum2three

I think at the moment, Britain is attracting criminals simply because everything is so lax. The drug trade is booming, shops are employing illegal workers, street theft is rife.

It’s appalling isn’t it? It’s as if the authorities here have just given up.

Oreo Sat 08-Nov-25 09:24:35

Maremia

And people continue to purchase the products.

Yes, poor people always will, is that surprising? Also these kind of shops will sell to anyone including children.

Allira Sat 08-Nov-25 11:06:04

ViceVersa

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

gringringrin And the 'legal' ones aren't?

Children cannot usually go up into anywhere selling cigarettes and purchase them. You have to be 18 or over and, if necessary, produce ID.

These shops, mini-marts selling contraband don't care about the age of the child, they will sell these disgusting contraband cigarettes and vapes to 10 year olds.

It's not in the least bit funny.

Allira Sat 08-Nov-25 11:08:21

Oreo

mum2three

I think at the moment, Britain is attracting criminals simply because everything is so lax. The drug trade is booming, shops are employing illegal workers, street theft is rife.

It’s appalling isn’t it? It’s as if the authorities here have just given up.

They're trying but can't keep up, it is like a pandemic.

ViceVersa Sat 08-Nov-25 11:11:17

Allira

ViceVersa

petra

NotSpaghetti
The cigarettes that are sold in these mini marts are nothing like you would buy here or buy off someone who does the baccy run. They are lethal 🤬

gringringrin And the 'legal' ones aren't?

Children cannot usually go up into anywhere selling cigarettes and purchase them. You have to be 18 or over and, if necessary, produce ID.

These shops, mini-marts selling contraband don't care about the age of the child, they will sell these disgusting contraband cigarettes and vapes to 10 year olds.

It's not in the least bit funny.

I'm well aware of that. The funny aspect - to me, anyway - was the notion that the 'illegal' cigarettes are lethal but the 'legal' ones are ok...

Allira Sat 08-Nov-25 11:14:39

Legal ones aren't one of your five a day, of course, but at least they are regulated and don't contain such as the list of things in petra's post above.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 08-Nov-25 12:03:20

NotSpaghetti

GrannyGravy I was responding to your comments

I am fortunate enough not to have to resort to dupes

I totally get why people go down the dupe road especially when it comes to tweens wanting what their friends have in order to fit in.

I didn't read this as meaning fakes masquerading as real.

I thought of "dupes" as in legitimate fragrances. I misunderstood.

No worries, it’s difficult sometimes without being over wordy to get one’s point across pin a post.

👍

Maremia Sat 08-Nov-25 12:58:10

Read that is was a couple of Kurdish men who went undercover for the Police, because they did not like what the crooks were doing to the reputation of the settled Kurdish community.

Allira Sat 08-Nov-25 13:27:03

The undercover reporter for the BBC is Kurdish too.
I hope he'll be safe.