A top sniffer dog called Yoyo is featuring on a series of banners produced by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Trading Standards Department as part of an ongoing campaign against illegal tobacco.
The department has produced a number of hard hitting posters encouraging people to report illicit tobacco sales by e-mail (tsd@npt.gov.uk) or by ringing a special telephone line (01639 686877).
Now, banners featuring Yoyo – who with his Spaniel colleagues Scamp and Phoebe has sniffed out more than £12m of tobacco products - will be used to boost the campaign.
The banners (one can be seen below), featuring Yoyo at the centre, highlight the department’s two Illegal Tobacco Roadshows, the first being held on Thursday, May 31st outside Port Talbot’s Civic Centre and the second a day later on Friday, June 1st at Angel Square, Neath and Neath Town Square.
In the last few years, tobacco sniffing Spaniels Phoebe, Scamp and Yoyo, based at BWY-K9 in Pembrokeshire, have uncovered more than £12m pounds-worth of illegal tobacco products in raids in various parts of the UK with the police, trading standards and Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.
Illegal tobacco is smuggled, bootlegged or counterfeit and sold cheaply – often at “pocket money prices” which can attract children - and is often linked to large-scale organised crime so as well as encouraging smoking in children and adults it causes lots of other serious problems for communities.
While there has been a reduction in illegal tobacco sales in the UK thanks to enforcement by police and local authorities – pressure still needs to be kept up on illegal tobacco sellers.
Young and vulnerable people are often the ones to visit private addresses to buy cigarettes. It puts them into risky situations with people who might also be selling alcohol, drugs and stolen goods.
Councillor Des Davies, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Protection said: “I hope the banners will help encourage as many people as possible to come our roadshows.”
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has confirmed it will be at the roadshows where visitors can meet Yoyo and some of his talented sniffer dog colleagues.
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Mae ci synhwyro penigamp o'r enw Yoyo'n ymddangos mewn cyfres o faneri a luniwyd gan Adran Safonau Masnach Castell-nedd Port Talbot fel rhan o ymgyrch barhaus yn erbyn tybaco anghyfreithlon.
Mae'r adran wedi creu cyfres o bosteri difrifol i annog pobl i adrodd am werthiannau tybaco anghyfreithlon drwy e-bostio (tsd@npt.gov.uk) neu ffonio llinell ffôn arbennig (01639 686877).
Bellach, bydd baneri sy'n cynnwys Yoyo - y mae yntau a'i gyd-sbaengwn Scamp a Phoebe, wedi synhwyro gwerth mwy na £12m o gynnyrch tybaco - yn cael eu defnyddio i roi hwb i'r ymgyrch.
Mae'r baneri, sy'n cynnwys Yoyo yn y canol, yn tynnu sylw at ddwy sioe deithiol tybaco anghyfreithlon yr adran. Cynhelir yr un gyntaf ddydd Iau 31 Mai y tu allan i Ganolfan Ddinesig Port Talbot a'r ail, ddiwrnod yn ddiweddarach, ddydd Gwener, 1 Mehefin yn Sgwâr yr Angel, Castell-nedd a Sgwâr Tref Castell-nedd.
Yn yr ychydig flynyddoedd diwethaf, mae'r sbaengwn synhwyro Phoebe, Scamp a Yoyo, sy'n byw yn BWY-K9 yn Sir Benfro, wedi dod o hyd i werth mwy na £12m o gynnyrch tybaco anghyfreithiol mewn ymgyrchoedd mewn rhannau amrywiol o'r DU gyda'r Heddlu, Safonau Masnach a Chyllid a Thollau ei Mawrhydi.
Mae tybaco anghyfreithlon yn dybaco smygledig neu ffug, sy'n cael ei werthu'n rhad - yn aml am 'brisiau arian poced' sy'n gallu denu plant - ac fe'i cysylltir yn aml â throseddu cyfundrefnol ar raddfa fawr felly, yn ogystal ag annog smygu ymhlith plant a phobl ifanc, mae'n achosi llawer o broblemau difrifol eraill i gymunedau.
Er y cafwyd gostyngiad mewn gwerthiannau tybaco anghyfreithlon yn y DU o ganlyniad i orfodi gan yr heddlu ac awdurdodau lleol, mae angen rhoi pwysau o hyd ar werthwyr tybaco anghyfreithlon.
Yn aml, pobl ifanc a diamddiffyn yw'r rhai sy'n ymweld â chyfeiriadau preifat i brynu sigaréts. Mae'n eu rhoi mewn sefyllfaoedd peryglus gyda phobl a allai fod hefyd yn gwerthu alcohol, cyffuriau a nwyddau wedi'u dwyn.
Meddai'r Cyng. Des Davies,Aelod y Cabinet dros Ddiogelwch Cymunedol a Diogelu'r Cyhoedd, "Rwy'n gobeithio bydd y baneri'n helpu i annog cynifer o bobl â phosib i ddod i'n sioeau teithiol."
Mae Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) wedi cadarnhau y bydd yn y sioeau teithiol lle gall ymwelwyr gwrdd â Yoyo a rhai o'i gyd-sbaengwn synhwyro talentog.
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