Councils have united with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to combat the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products which costs the taxpayer £3bn a year in lost revenue. Working on behalf of councils, the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) has agreed working practices to exchange information between HMRC and council trading standards services in England, Wales and Scotland. The aim is to disrupt the trade at its point of sale, and to target those supplying illicit goods to local shops.
