EIGHT thousand cigarettes were seized from a vehicle outside a shop in Commercial Road in Hereford.

A Multi Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy operation took place this month following intelligence of suspicious activity at Munchies and Maxii.

Herefordshire Council Trading Standards seized the cigarettes from a vehicle outside Maxii, while Environmental Health (Housing) found people living above Munchies in the prohibited first floor accommodation.

One Iraqi Kurd man was arrested by police on suspicion of being an illegal overstayer since 2011 - he was passed on to the immigration department.

Sergeant Duncan Reynolds said: "The trade of illegal cigarettes and other commodities is not only harmful to health, it is the type of crime that can be linked to organised crime groups working across our county borders.

"This is yet another example of a successful partnership working to tackle organised crime in our community. Alongside MATES, our Protect campaign will see neighbourhood officers continuing to work closely with other organisations using all the powers available to us to bring offenders to justice.

"Serious and organised crime has a devastating effect on communities. I would urge members of the public to work with us to recognise the signs and report them to us so that we can investigate thoroughly."

A further enforcement notice will be issued prohibiting sleeping in the ground floor commercial areas.

Enforcement notices are being issued by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service against Munchies for non compliance with previous advice.

Marc Willimont, Herefordshire Council's head of regulatory and development management services said: "The trade of illegal tobacco severely damages honest local businesses and unscrupulous housing landlords put vulnerable people's lives at risk by allowing tenants to live in dangerous, unsafe accommodation.

"We will continue to work in partnership with the police, and other partner agencies, to clamp down on this organised criminal activity."