More than 2,000 UK retailers were caught selling illegal cigarettes in 2025/26, new FOI data reveals. The figures expose the widespread availability of non-duty-paid tobacco products across the country, despite ongoing enforcement efforts, raising concerns around product safety and quality control.
We have analysed FOI data to determine which areas of the UK are the biggest culprits of the illegal cigarette trade.
Liverpool City Council reports the highest number of illegal cigarette trades in 2025/26
The top ten local authorities with the highest number of retailers selling non-duty-paid cigarettes in 2025/26, ranked by number of retailers in 2025/26
| Rank | Local Authority | Number of Retailers Found Selling Non-Duty-Paid Cigarettes (2025/26) | % Increase from 2022/23 to 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool City Council | 125 | 166% |
| 2 | Newport City Council | 106 | 1414.3% |
| 3 | Lancashire County Council | 92 | 19.5% |
| 4 | Dudley Council | 83 | -5.7% |
| 5 | Sheffield City Council | 50 | 233.3% |
| 6 | Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council | 49 | 28.9% |
| 7 | Cardiff Council | 47 | 104.3% |
| 8 | West Sussex County Council | 46 | 820% |
| =9 | Blackpool Borough Council | 45 | 550% |
| =9 | Camden Borough Council | 45 | 246.2% |
Liverpool is the UK’s hotspot for the illegal cigarette trade. 125 retailers sold non-duty-paid cigarettes in the city in 2025/26, the highest in the UK. Liverpool City Council seized £105,520 worth of non-duty-paid cigarettes.
Newport City Council and Lancashire County Council follow in second and third place. In 2025/26, 106 and 92 retailers sold illegal cigarettes in Newport and Lancashire, respectively. In Newport, £106,163 of non-duty-paid cigarettes were seized.
Other councils in the top ten include Dudley Council (83 retailers), Sheffield City Council (50 retailers) and Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (49 retailers).
Hertfordshire County Council reports the biggest increase in illegal cigarette trades since 2022/23
In 2022/23, just one retailer within the Hertfordshire County Council area was found to be selling non-duty-paid cigarettes. This figure rose to 23 retailers in 2025/26, showing an increase of 2,220%.
Newport City Council also saw the second largest increase in retailers, at 1,414.3%. In 2025/26, 106 retailers sold non-duty-paid cigarettes, compared to just seven in 2022/23.
Other councils in the top ten include Falkirk Council, with a 1,000% increase, and Barnet Borough Council, with an 866.7% increase.
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council reports the highest value in seized items in 2025/26
The top ten local authorities with the highest values in seized items in 2025/26
| Rank | Local Authority | Estimated Value of Items Seized in 2025/26 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council | £1,281,448 |
| 2 | Medway Council | £630,000 |
| 3 | Staffordshire County Council | £505,962 |
| 4 | Barnet Borough Council | £313,533 |
| 5 | Cardiff Council | £216,807 |
| 6 | Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council | £214,792 |
| 7 | Newcastle upon Tyne City Council | £202,005 |
| 8 | West Sussex County Council | £132,582 |
| 9 | Dudley Council | £131,256 |
| 10 | London Borough of Hackney | £126,500 |
Rochdale was the most lucrative hotspot of the UK’s illegal cigarette trade, with almost £1.3 million worth of non-duty-paid items being seized in 2025/26.
Medway Council and Staffordshire County Council follow in second and third place. In 2025/26, Medway Council is estimated to have seized around £630,000 worth of illegal cigarettes, while the items seized by Staffordshire County Council have an approximate value of more than £505,960.
Other councils in the top ten include Barnet Borough Council (£313,533), Cardiff Council (£216,807) and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (£214,792).
Haringey Borough Council reports the biggest increase in the value of seized items since 2022/23
In 2022/23, only £160 worth of illegal cigarettes were seized by Haringey Borough Council. This figure rose to around £104,340 in 2025/26, up a staggering 65,112.5%.
Sutton Borough Council also saw one of the biggest increases, at 25,483.3%. In 2025/26, non-duty-paid items seized by the council amounted to over £21,240, compared to a value of just £83 in 2022/23.
Other councils in the top ten include North Northamptonshire Council, with a 17,420% increase, and Stockton-on-Tees Council, with an 11,152.8% increase.
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