England investigated dangerous fags and dvds

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ILLEGAL immigrants have been made to sell pornographic DVDs and dangerous cigarettes in Warrington, it was claimed this week.
People have gone door-to-door selling goods in areas like Orford and Howley.

The sales have been linked to smuggling and people trafficking gangs based in Liverpool - including the famous snakeheads'.

The counterfeit cigarettes are often produced in China or Eastern Europe. They look almost identical to genuine branded packs but can contain dangerous amounts of lead and arsenic.

Tests on counterfeit hauls found in Liverpool have revealed the cigarettes contain up to 60 per cent more tar, 80 per cent more nicotine and 133 per cent more carbon monoxide.

Warrington Borough Council's trading standards department has been investigating the cigarette trade and the counterfeit DVDs.
The Warrington Guardian recently reported the case of a Chinese immigrant from Liverpool who tried to sell pornographic DVDs in Lythgoes Lanes, in Orford, but was arrested by an off duty policeman.
The 23-year-old woman spent 15-days in prison and could not speak English.

Her defence solicitor told the court: "She has obviously been put up to this and is a mere pawn in some other illegal enterprise."
Police smashed a suspected smuggling gang with raids on two homes in London Road in Stockton Heath in 2002, which also targeted addresses in Liverpool and St Helens.

Longford resident Gemma Halligan, aged 20, from Poplars Avenue, said she had been offered both cigarettes and DVDs at her home.
She said: "One man came with a black plastic bag selling pornos for £5.
"They did come around with fags. They were only young, about 20. He said to me do you want to buy cigs' and I just said no and shut the door'."

Shop workers in Longford were also asked if they wanted to buy items by a woman.

"She wanted £10 for an item from Rapid hardware shop in Liverpool," said one shop worker.