Halal Meat Fridge Used to Hide Illegal Cigarettes in Sunderland Raids

Halal Meat Fridge Used to Hide Illegal Cigarettes in Sunderland Raids
Detection dog Griff leads the way, uncovering concealed tobacco in fridge and meat saw

Illegal cigarettes, vapes, and hand-rolled tobacco worth an estimated £25,000 have been seized during raids in Sunderland and Washington. The finds included cleverly concealed stashes hidden inside a hydraulic lift beneath a CCTV unit, inside an electric butchering bone saw, and even within a halal meat fridge.

The operation was led by Northumbria Police, working alongside Trading Standards officers and the North East Regional Crime Unit, with crucial support from specialist detection dogs trained by Stu Phillips K9. These dogs—highly experienced in detecting tobacco and vapes—were responsible for uncovering many of the hidden items. A major breakthrough came from Griff, who located illegal cigarettes concealed inside both a halal meat fridge and a meat saw.

In total, officers recovered more than 2,200 cigarettes, 1,000 vapes, and 650 pouches of hand-rolled tobacco, alongside nearly 500 non-compliant food items.

Insp Graham Cox said:

"What may seem like a harmless vape to some, may actually be linked to much wider types of offending – and often serious and organised crime."

Sunderland City Council’s Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for the Environment, highlighted the dangers of illicit products:

"Floor sweepings or saw dust" are sometimes used by criminals attempting to maximise their profits.

She added:

"So they're as likely to be sold to children, getting them hooked on a possibly fatal addiction."

This news story includes exclusive photos and a short video of Griff in action, showing the moment he discovered illegal cigarettes concealed inside the halal meat saw during the Sunderland raids.