East Riding Trading Standards Reveals Extent Of Battle Against Rogue Traders And Illegal Goods

East Riding Trading Standards has detailed its ongoing fight against doorstep crime, illegal vapes, and unsafe products, with a local councillor sharing her firsthand experience of a recent enforcement raid.

East Riding Trading Standards has laid bare the significant challenges it faces in protecting residents from rogue traders, illegal goods, and unsafe products.

The extent of the ongoing battle was recently highlighted after a local councillor accompanied enforcement officers on a raid to witness the frontline efforts firsthand.

The illicit trade of tobacco and vaping products remains a major focus for the authority. Enforcement teams are increasingly encountering sophisticated concealment methods used by businesses to hide illicit stock from inspectors. During the 2025-26 period, officers successfully seized tens of thousands of illegal items, though identifying the true owners of these illicit enterprises remains a persistent hurdle.

Sharing her experience of a recent raid targeting illegal vapes and tobacco, Councillor Lyn Healing said:

"These are often sophisticated operations, linked to organised crime. Shops can use hidden compartments, false walls, and remote control concealments. And I can back this up. I've actually been on one of those raids and I was amazed. The challenge is proving who's really behind the business. Last year, trading standards managed to temporarily close a business for three months, through antisocial behaviour rules. But this has been difficult to repeat. In 2025-26, the team seized 735 illegal vapes, 89,530 cigarette sticks, and just over 35 kg of hand-rolling tobacco."

Alongside tackling illegal retail goods, the service is working to protect vulnerable residents from doorstep crime. Rogue traders frequently offer home maintenance services that result in significant financial losses for homeowners. With offenders often operating highly mobile businesses, the authority is shifting its focus towards community education to stop crimes before they happen.

Detailing the devastating impact these crimes have on older victims across the area, Councillor Healing said:

"Common examples include gardening work, driveways, roofing, energy efficient improvements. The work may be poor, unnecessary, overpriced, or never properly properly finished. Some residents, our residents, lose thousands of pounds, and doorstep crime disproportionately affects older residents, and around 85% of victims are over 65. Enforcement can be difficult because offenders are mobile and good at covering their tracks, so the team is also putting more emphasis on prevention and helping people spot warning signs early."

Consumer safety is another critical area of enforcement. Trading Standards officers have been actively engaging with local businesses and national regulators to address hazards associated with modern transport and household appliances. Recent interventions have included addressing the risks posed by modified e-bike batteries and ensuring the removal of dangerous heating appliances from the market.

Highlighting the team's work on product safety and recent widespread recalls, Councillor Healing added:

"The team has also dealt with e-bike safety, particularly where batteries or chargers have been modified and has worked with repair shops to make sure customers get the right advice. Another example was a national recall involving gas water heaters made by an East Riding supplier. Working with the businesses at the national regulator, the service helped secure the withdrawal of more than 3,500 unsafe units. Last year, the team also looked at second-hand car dealers, checking whether the vehicles were roadworthy, whether the paperwork was right and whether customers were being given an honest description of what they were buying."

Furthermore, the authority continues its routine monitoring of commercial weighing and measuring equipment to ensure fair trading. Regular inspections are carried out across retail and industrial sectors to verify the accuracy of scales and fuel pumps, which can degrade over time and leave consumers short-changed.

Explaining the importance of routinely checking commercial equipment, Councillor Healing stated:

"That is why trading standards regularly checks weights and measures in shops, as well in in larger manufacturing and industrial premises. Scales and measuring equipment are used constantly and over time they use can affect their calibration. Last year 111 weighbridges were checked and 20% were found to be non compliant. The team also check manufacturing and retail scales. 13% of manufacturing scales and 8% of retail scales were no compliant non compliant. Petrol pump checks were more reassuring. 65 pumps were checked and only 1% were none compliant."