TOBCSC2200 - Roles and responsibilities: Queen’s Warehouse

The Tobacco Sampling Team will:

• receive, tally, sample and store in the Queens Warehouse all notifiable seizures;
• produce monthly dashboard statistics showing notified seizures;
• abide by the existing guidance on handling seized goods which is being held as evidence for use in future prosecutions;
• provide additional seizure data to Tobacco Policy and LB when required;
• notify the Tobacco Manufactures of all notifiable seizures and provide samples;
• arrange and supervise inspections of notified seizures by tobacco manufacturers;
• receive and distribute to Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) and LB information provided by tobacco manufacturers about the notified seizures;
• store all notified seizures until such time as they may be disposed of (the date will be advised by the seizing officer setting the disposal instruction prior to the goods arriving at QW or at least one calendar month after the date on which the tobacco manufacturer was provided with written notification that the seizure has been made);
• record the results of all inspections of the seizures by tobacco manufacturers;
• securely dispose of the seizures after the agreed time for retention, or the need for the seizure to be retained for a subsequent prosecution has expired;
• retain any samples that may be required following destruction of the bulk of the seizure;
• Liaise with the FCLO manager regarding notification of seizures to non-UK manufacturers.