Trading standards officers have vowed to tackle Nottingham's illegal cigarette problem – after it was revealed that one in three packets in the city is either counterfeit or bought abroad.
Bootleg, counterfeit or smuggled cigarettes sold cheaply line the pockets of crooks.
And Jane Bailey, trading standards manager for Nottingham City Council, said: "There is an issue with counterfeit cigarettes in Nottingham and we are working with our partners within the police and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to tackle the problem. We would always urge anyone tempted to buy a packet of cheap cigarettes from a dubious source to think again.
"You don't know what is inside them and, as has been proved by our safety tests in the past, there can be serious concerns about the way some burn once lit."
Cigarettes bought outside the UK, not subject to the same stringent safety standards, can pose a fire risk. Illegal tobacco hurts businesses and costs the UK about £3 billion a year in duty.
The cigarettes can contain traces of human excrement, dead flies and asbestos.
Seema Chadda, whose father owns Gifta Mini Market in Arnold, said: "It's not just about the money – it's more about people smoking things that could be bad for their health."
Last year, a county council task team combatting fake fags seized£58,000-worth of illicit tobacco in less than a year.
Trading standards officer Matt Rawson said: "We're having a lot of success in tackling the issue, which is good but also slightly disappointing, as that means there are still illegal cigarettes out there.
"I can understand why people would be tempted to buy them, when they cost about £3.50 in comparison to a retail price of £8.50.
"But you can't trust a criminal gang to give you something that's going to be good for your health."
