PEOPLE who supply illegal tobacco ­— which often leads to children getting hooked on smoking ­— are to be targeted through a new campaign.

The Keep It Out campaign aims to raise awareness of the harm done to under-18s and the wider community by the dealers and suppliers who provide cheap cigarettes.

In 2018/19 trading standards officers across Greater Manchester seized 804,000 illegal cigarettes and 146 kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco from 99 premises. It is estimated that the total loss to the UK economy from duty and tax evasion on cigarettes and tobacco is £2.5 billion.

It is hoped that a crack down will help cut smoking rates by a third by the end of 2021.

Look out for Keep It Out leaflets, advertising and outreach teams from Monday.