PEOPLE in Eastbourne and Hailsham are being offered the chance to meet the four-legged sleuths sniffing out illegal tobacco sales in the area.

The tobacco detection dogs will be showing off their skills at public roadshow events hosted by East Sussex Trading Standards being held all next week (week commencing September 2, 2019).

People can also find out about the effects of tobacco on health and provide information about illegal tobacco sales, so officers, accompanied by the dogs, can take enforcement action.

A similar series of events in Hastings and Bexhill earlier this month led to illegal tobacco products with a street value of around £1,300 being seized.

Cllr Bill Bentley, East Sussex County Council lead member for communities and safety, said: “We’ve had a great response at the events we’ve held so far and people love to come and meet the dogs.

“It’s also an opportunity for anyone who knows about counterfeit or illegal tobacco products being sold in and around Eastbourne and Hailsham to tell us about it so we can take action.

“Selling these kinds of products brings organised crime into our communities, undermines efforts to discourage smoking and in particular encourages tobacco use among young people due to cheaper prices.”

The events are being held outside Halifax, in Terminus Road, on Monday and Tuesday (Sep 2 and 3 2019)), in Tesco car park, in Lottbridge Drove, on Wednesday, (4) in the Asda Car Park in The Crumbles, on Thursday (5) and next to Subway, in Hailsham High Street, on Friday (6).

The events are being held from 10am to 3.30pm every day.

To anonymously report someone who is supplying or smuggling illegal tobacco, call 0300 999 6 999.