Thousands of pounds worth of cannabis and counterfeit tobacco products have been seized and four people arrested as part of a day of action against counterfeit tobacco yesterday (Monday 22 December) by the Yorkshire and Humberside 'Scambusters' team.

Operation APUS, which involved trading standards, HM Revenue & Customs and the police, targeted addresses across the region which were suspected of taking deliveries of significant quantities of counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco.

As a result of the operation, officers uncovered:

· A cannabis factory in Leeds, where every room had been converted for cannabis production. Approximately 500 plants have been seized for destruction, the crop having an estimated street value in excess of £120,000. One person has been arrested.

· A counterfeit cigarette factory in Leeds.

· A counterfeit cigarette factory in Sheffield which resulted in the seizure of over 58kilos of counterfeit tobacco and manufacturing paraphernalia. Two persons have been arrested who are also suspected of being illegal immigrants.

· One person has been arrested and 10,000 counterfeit cigarettes have been seized from an address in Hull.

In addition a wealth on intelligence has been gained which will inform future operations against counterfeit tobacco.

David Short, manager of the Yorkshire & Humber Scambuster team and coordinator of the region wide operation said: "The results of the operation speak for themselves, we have caused some serious disruption to criminal activity across the region.

"The operation highlights the benefit of coordinating the intelligence held by law enforcement agencies and working in partnership to tackle those who think they can get away with commiting crime. This operation will have prevented drugs and counterfeit tobacco damaging the health of communities all over the region."

Detective Inspector Howard Atkin of the police regional intelligence unit said: "Organised crime is a great threat to the safety of our communities, today we have achieved a victory against criminals by working in partnership the Scambuster team, trading standards and other agencies".    

The 'Scambusters' team is based at City of York Council, and includes experienced trading standards officer, financial investigators and a police officer and is headed by former North Yorkshire Police Chief Superintendent, David Short.

The team works alongside officers from the police, HM Revenue and Customs and other enforcement agencies and will work across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humberside region, focusing on the hardest to tackle scams and rogue traders who set out to rip people off.