Illegal Tobacco.
It costs more than you think.
That cheap pack of cigarettes funds drug dealers, human traffickers, and crime. Still think it’s just cheap tobacco?
Illegal tobacco is any tobacco that’s made, imported, or sold without paying UK tax. It includes smuggled packs, counterfeits, and sales from unregulated sources — like markets, homes, or under-the-counter in some shops.
It's cheap, widely available, and dangerous.
Explore how illegal tobacco impacts:
We can all play a part in helping to stop the illegal tobacco trade and the negative impact it has on communities.
£1.7 BILLION
in tax revenue lost annually
It's time to shut it down.
You can help.
Seen something suspicious? Reporting illegal tobacco is quick, easy, and anonymous.
If you're aware of anybody selling illegal tobacco you should report this using the anonymous form above, or by contacting HM Revenue & Customs' Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887, Trading Standards (through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline) on 0808 223 1133 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
£1.7bn figure based on HMRC's tax gap estimates for Excise Duty and VAT losses 2024 - 2025. Measuring_tax_gap_online_tables_2026.xlsx (select the table for 2026 and go to table 3.4 See lines 8 and 9 combined for 2024-2025).
HM Revenue & Customs & Border Force. (2024, January 29). Stubbing out the problem: A new strategy to tackle illicit tobacco. GOV.UK. Updated March 1, 2024.