EAST Lancashire newsagents and small retailers are urging government to get tougher on illegal tobacco, The Tobacco Retailers’ Alliance (TRA) has called for more stringent fines to be applied consistently, more resources for enforcement agencies and a more joined up approach to fighting the illegal tobacco trade.

Responding to the HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation on ‘Sanctions to Tackle Illicit Tobacco’, national spokesman and Blackburn retailer Suleman Khonat called for tougher action.

The Blackburn with Darwen councillor and vice-president of the North West District of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents said: “ The TRA is more concerned than ever about the impact that the trade in smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products has on legitimate retailers’ businesses and the local communities they serve.

“It’s essential that effective, severe penalties are applied to punish and deter those engaged at all levels in the illicit trade of tobacco.”

The ‘significant’ illegal tobacco trade is estimated by HMRC to have cost the Exchequer £2.1bn in 2013/14.

The TRA estimates that the consumption of non-UK duty paid products cost small and independent shops more than £2.2bn in lost sales in 2014.

This amounts to an average loss of over £43,000 per shop in the UK. The alliance’s proposals include more consistent enforcement of existing sanctions, that penalties are implemented at a maximum level and that a ‘three strikes and you are out’ rule is introduced to deter repeat retailer offenders.

Business rates could also be used as a means of punishing rogue traders.

Cllr Khonat said: “Retailers feel that the consumption of illegal tobacco is a serious problem that has significant implications for their businesses.

“A new approach to tackle illicit traders is needed .”