Kurdish illegals involved with selling coaband.

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

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.

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.

👍

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.

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 🤬

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...

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 🤬

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

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 the 'legal' ones aren't?

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 🤷‍♀️

And people continue to purchase the products.

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.

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

Not like the tobacco/illegal vape products

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....

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.

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 🤬

GrannyGravy13

I visited a local market this week, last time I went was over 30 years ago (markets are not my thing, unless a farmer’s market)

I was amazed at all the knock off designer clothes, perfumes, Uggs, handbags etc.

How do they get away with this?

Where are Trading Standards?

Markets aren't what they used to be, GrannyGravy ☹

StripeyGran's comment is rather facetious, because it is a real problem, worldwide, as shown by Simon Reeves on his programmes about all the counterfeit goods in landfill around the world.

Although there are some markets that sell local produce and other goods with provenance.

StripeyGran no 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.

dodgy shopkeepers ?

Dodgy shopkeepers?

I'm just astonished that this could be described as dodgy shopkeepers

On a small scale people used to bring cartons of cigarettes back from abroad a lot and that's basically the same.

And how many "upstanding" people pay tradesmen cash knowing it would be more "with an invoice".

No, it bears no comparison with the OCG which are operating in this country now and across Europe too.

People smuggling, exploiting migrants, racketeering, drug smuggling, illegal cigarettes and vapes (containing goodness knows what), extortion etc etc.

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

I visited a local market this week, last time I went was over 30 years ago (markets are not my thing, unless a farmer’s market)

I was amazed at all the knock off designer clothes, perfumes, Uggs, handbags etc.

How do they get away with this?

Where are Trading Standards?

Underfunded, under staffed and overwhelmed, I would guess.

How extensive are their powers?

I remember a video shop years ago near my work that had dodgy rentals - in that they were sold for domestic use only (not as rental).
That one was raided (and suspect cigarettes were found as well as the videos).
I had spoken to the local police about it and they were already monitoring it. I'm not sure they should have told me actually.

On a small scale people used to bring cartons of cigarettes back from abroad a lot and that's basically the same.

And how many "upstanding" people pay tradesmen cash knowing it would be more "with an invoice".

just to be clear, not equating a carton of cigarettes to people smuggling or excusing the dodgy shopkeepers etc