This sniffer dog will be hunting for smokers' illicit tobacco in Portsmouth

HOUNDING out illegal tobacco is set to get easier when trading standards hit the streets with a highly-trained companion.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jul 2019, 20:30 BST
Updated 17th Jul 2019, 21:43 BST
Sniffer dog Yoyo will be in Portsmouth. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilSniffer dog Yoyo will be in Portsmouth. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Sniffer dog Yoyo will be in Portsmouth. Picture: Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council officers will be searching for bootleg, smuggled or counterfeit products with the help of a sniffer dog.

Around 27 per cent of city smokers buy illicit tobacco.

The dog will be outside Debenhams in Commercial Road on July 25 and outside Tesco Fratton the next day between 10am-4pm.

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Councillor Matthew Winnington is cabinet member for health at the council.

He said: 'All tobacco is harmful but illegal tobacco makes it easier for people to start smoking, particularly young people, and they tend to smoke more due to the cheaper prices.'