Hackney Chronicle: Barnet, Camden, Hackney and Haringey are among hotspots in the illegal cigarette trade, figures show.

Four north London boroughs are among hotspots in the illegal cigarette trade, figures show. Barnet, Camden, Hackney, and Haringey all featured in a new study revealing over 2,000 retailers across the UK sold non-duty-paid cigarettes in 2025/26. The data, obtained through FOI requests and analysed by nicotine pouch company Alternix, highlights the continued availability of illicit tobacco products despite ongoing enforcement, raising concerns around product safety and quality control. The top ten UK hotspots for retailers selling non-duty-paid cigarettes in 2025/26 include Camden, which recorded 45 retailers—an increase of 246.2 per cent since 2022/23. Rochdale recorded the highest value of illegal tobacco seized so far in 2025/26, totalling £1,281,448. Read more Square Roots Hendon designed for female buyers reshaping the property marketGroup that teaches teenagers to swim up for national award David Phillips from Alternix said: "Illicit tobacco continues to present a significant challenge in the UK. These products bypass the regulations designed to protect consumers and reduce harm, making it harder to achieve meaningful progress on smoking cessation rates. "Encouraging smokers to switch to regulated, smoke-free alternatives is a critical part of the solution, but that can only happen effectively within a well-enforced and properly regulated market. If we want to tackle this issue, there needs to be a balanced approach, allowing adult smokers to make better choices." Camden Borough Council recorded 45 retailers selling non‑duty‑paid cigarettes in 2025/26, representing a 246.2% increase compared with 2022/23. Barnet saw the fourth highest value of seizures, with £313,533 worth of illegal cigarettes confiscated. Hackney also appeared in the top ten, with £126,500 worth of non-duty-paid tobacco products seized in the current financial year. Haringey saw the largest percentage rise in the value of seizures. In 2022/23, only £160 worth of illegal cigarettes were confiscated by the council, compared to £104,340 so far this year—a staggering 65,112.5 per cent increase. Elsewhere in London, Sutton Borough Council recorded a 25,483.3 per cent increase in the value of seized products, totalling more than £21,240 in 2025/26 compared to just £83 in 2022/23. Other authorities with significant increases include North Northamptonshire (17,420 per cent) and Stockton-on-Tees (11,152.8 per cent). Nationally, Liverpool City Council reported the highest number of offending retailers, with 125 shops found selling non-duty-paid cigarettes.