Criminals are selling illegal tobacco along with other illegal goods

Many criminals have turned to selling illegal tobacco because they see it as a source of 'easy money' and believe they won't be severely punished even if they get caught.

That's why illegal tobacco has become much more available, and can often be found at places like markets, ice-cream vans and car boot sales.

But whilst many people think selling illegal tobacco doesn't do any harm, few realise that it is often sold with other goods such as illegal alcohol, pornography and pirate DVDs.

And although illegal tobacco sellers are sometimes seen to be 'doing the community a favour', the reality is that the gangs who are supplying the trade locally are funding more serious criminal activities such as terrorism, smuggling and money laundering.