More than 4,000 illegal cigarettes were tracked down by a sniffer dog in Sunderland as the council try to crack down on counterfeit goods.
The haul follows on from another successful drive in April 2021, where 2,000 illegal cigarettes were subsequently taken by trading standards officers.
A tobacco dog accompanied 'on-foot' team members from Trading Standards off the back of prior intelligence being submitted, and after visits to retailers in Millfield and Barnes - they left with significant amounts of undeclared tobacco.
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Shops were also inspected in the Grindon and Ryhope areas, but no action was found necessary.
The seizures were part of Operation CeCe, which has seen more than £27m worth of illegal products removed from retailers in England and Wales since its launch in January this year.
All confiscated goods will now be assessed to determine if any offences have taken place.
At a local level across Sunderland, National Trading Standards works with the local authority to track and apprehend those selling illicit substances.
Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council councillor Claire Rowntree, said: "This successful operation is part of our ongoing strategy to identify and disrupt the supply of illegal tobacco.
"Not only do those involved in the distribution of illegal tobacco undermine legitimate businesses, they also encourage people, including children, to smoke by providing a cheap source of cigarettes, so this is very much about protecting our communities.
"The impact of the illegal tobacco trade is far reaching. It is often part of wider criminality including drug smuggling and people trafficking.
"This operation sends out a clear warning to retailers that we will not tolerate the selling of illegal tobacco in our city.
"Any business owners who are unclear about the law should contact our Trading Standards Team for advice."
Information from the public is vital in helping to stamp out the supply of illegal tobacco.
HMRC is encouraging anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco to report it online at Report fraud to HMRC - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) or call the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.
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