Thousands of pounds worth of illegal goods heading for Gloucester businesses have been seized in a trading standards sting.

Gloucestershire County Council's trading standards captured a horde of tobacco products worth more than £6,500 in the operation.

Officers confiscated the "large quantity of tobacco" from two cars in Gloucester city centre.

The illegal stash had been hidden in an Audi Quattro permanently parked in a car park on Sinope Street as a storage location to supply nearby shops.

"Trading standards officers interrupted a man who was previously known to them for involvement in illegal tobacco as he drove up to the Quattro and began transferring tobacco into it from the boot of his own car," said a statement from Trading Standards.

"In total 1,447 packets of cigarettes, including counterfeit Richmond cigarettes and 101 pouches of hand rolling tobacco, valued at £6,589 were sized and both vehicles were confiscated by HMRC".

Cllr Nigel Moor, cabinet member for fire, planning and infrastructure said: "Well done to our trading standards officers for another successful seizure.

"Our officers continue to work diligently to crack down on the sale of illegal tobacco in Gloucestershire."

Anyone with information on the sale of illegal tobacco, however small or insignificant they might think it is, should call 03454 040506 or anonymously via the Trading Standards website .