Sniffer Dogs Crack £365,000 Tobacco and Vape Operation

Stu Phillips K9 detection dogs uncover £365,000 worth of illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco in Walsall

Last week our specialist detection dogs Griff, Cooper, and Bran supported Walsall Council’s Trading Standards team and West Midlands Police during a major enforcement operation in Walsall.

Over the course of the day, four retail premises, a vehicle, and a storage unit were searched. Griff, Cooper, and Bran—trained specifically to detect tobacco and vapes—played a central role in locating large consignments of illicit goods.

At a self-storage site, Griff alerted to a unit packed with illegal hand-rolling tobacco and cigarettes. Some of the counterfeit products had even been concealed inside boxes labelled as barbecues.

In total, the operation resulted in the seizure of approximately 100 kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco, 287,000 illicit cigarettes, and 350 disposable vapes with an estimated street value of £365,000.

At Stu Phillips K9 we are proud that our dogs continue to support Trading Standards, Police, and other enforcement partners across the UK—removing illegal products from circulation and protecting communities from the harm caused by organised crime.