Police raid shops after tip-off and concerns raised

Police have raided two Cardiff shops after receiving tip offs. Both premises were storing cigarettes which are believed by authorities to be illicit.

An inspector with the police said that "counterfeit cigarettes" were seized from two shops in Llandaff North and Whitchurch on Thursday morning. One of the shops raided was Whitchurch Minimarket on Merthyr Road. In recent weeks the business has been a topic of discussion on social media, with an image of its largely bare shelves attracting dozens of comments.

Locals reported seeing a large police presence at the stores on Merthyr Road and Evansfield Road, Llandaff North, early on Thursday morning.

Inspector Tim Ursell said: "Fairwater neighbourhood policing team worked with trading standards, who are now progressing the investigation, following concerns raised by the local community."

Speaking about Thursday's raids in Cardiff, Inspector Ursell said: "This is just one example of how our neighbourhood teams act on information received from the community.

"Please continue to work with us and report any suspicions.”

You can report any concerns to police here.