More than 6,000 counterfeit cigarettes and £5,000 in cash seized after car stopped in St Helens

More than 6,000 counterfeit cigarettes and £5,000 in cash has been seized after a car was stopped by officers in St Helens.

At around 11.20am on Thursday 28 November, officers were on patrol on Ashcroft Street when they spotted a car which was linked to an ongoing investigation.

During a search of the vehicle, they made the discovery and a 43-year-old man from Runcorn was arrested on suspicion of acquiring/using/possessing criminal property. He has been released under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Ben Wayment said: “Thanks to the swift action taken by these officers, they were able to search the vehicle, seize the items and make an arrest.

“We take the sale of counterfeit goods extremely seriously. It is often linked to organised crime groups who use the sale of these goods to fund their illegal activity, which can have a devastating impact on communities.

“The recovery of more than 6,000 cigarettes will have significantly disrupted the activities of those involved and we ask anyone with any information about suspected illegal activity in the area to contact us.

“Often these products are untested and unlicensed and pose a risk to the health of anyone who uses them as no-one knows what they contain.

“If you have any information about the sale or possession of counterfeit goods, please make us aware so we can take action.

“This can either be through a direct report to us on 101 or DM @MerPolCC on social media, or via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which is completely confidential and no-one but you will ever know you made that report.”