Fife Council to host Scottish Illegal Tobacco Officers in national crackdown on illicit tobacco trade

Fife Council’s Cabinet Committee has approved an initiative to host two full-time Scottish Illegal Tobacco Officers (SITOs) as part of a UK-wide effort to disrupt the illicit tobacco trade at the retail level.

The officers will be integrated into Fife Council’s Trading Standards team and funded by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) through a four-year grant agreement. This initiative forms part of Operation CeCe, a national enforcement programme led jointly by HMRC and the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS).

Cllr David Ross, Convener of the Cabinet Committee welcomed the decision. He said: "Illegal tobacco products cause significant risk to public health and safety. They are often produced in extremely unhygienic conditions and can be contaminated with toxic elements such as arsenic and lead. They can also contain vastly excessive levels of tar and nicotine.

"As well as the potential health and safety risks of smoking fake tobacco I’d also like to remind the public that although the sale of these products are normally carried out by small time operators, the illegal tobacco trade often involves serious organised crime gangs at the top end of the supply chain.

"Hosting these officers in Fife strengthens our enforcement capabilities and supports our commitment to protecting public health and legitimate businesses across Scotland. This initiative will enhance intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and deterrence of illegal tobacco activity."

The SITOs will carry out disruption visits, support local enforcement teams, and submit sanctions referrals to HMRC. Their work will be instrumental in identifying and seizing counterfeit and non-compliant tobacco products, which pose serious health and safety risks.

In 2024–25, Scottish Trading Standards operations led to the seizure of 1.4 million counterfeit or non-compliant cigarettes and 458kg of hand-rolling tobacco, equating to around £1 million in evaded duty. Fife Trading Standards alone seized over 500,000 cigarettes and 67kg of hand-rolling tobacco.

The initiative should be fully operational in early 2026.

Information about the sale of illicit tobacco in Fife can be reported directly to the Council in confidence by emailing Trading.Standards@fife.gov.uk or by using the anonymous reporting page on the ‘Illegal Tobacco-Keep it Out’ website.