Trading Standards officers, working with the Met, raided 16 premises across Chiswick, Feltham, and Hounslow High Street.
They confiscated thousands of illegal cigarettes, vapes, shisha, and chewing tobacco, many of which were unsafe or unregistered.
Council bosses said the crackdown protects residents’ health and urged anyone spotting illegal sales to report them.
Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement at Hounslow Council, said:
“The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is a serious issue that harms our communities and puts the health of our residents at risk. These products are unregulated, unsafe, and can cause young people to become addicted to nicotine.
“Our Trading Standards team is working tirelessly to protect residents and ensure local businesses trade responsibly. We will continue to take firm action against those who seek to profit at the expense of public health and community safety.”
Illegal, unregulated tobacco and vapes can contain unknown and harmful substances, including excessive levels of tar and nicotine, and contaminants like lead and arsenic.
Often produced in unhygienic conditions, and sold at pocket-money prices, these products make it easier for young people to start smoking or vaping and harder for others to quit.
Counterfeit cigarettes can also pose a greater fire risk as they often lack the self-extinguishing safety features of legitimate products.
Profits from the trade in illegal vapes and tobacco sales can help fund organised criminal activity, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
The illegal tobacco trade also deprives public services of vital funding through tax revenue generated by the legal sale of vapes and tobacco.
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious sales of tobacco or vapes.
