Rat poison and faeces found in fake cigarettes as smokers warned about ''deadly'' cut-price products

Thousands of knock-off cigs in the UK are packed with deadly chemicals and even human faeces, putting smokers’ lives at risk. An undercover swoop found illegal tobacco being sold on the cheap in pubs, shops and a butcher’s. As well as waste, tests uncovered rat poison, dead flies, asbestos, and traces of lead and arsenic in some. Ex-Met chief Will O’Reilly, who gave the findings, said: “There is a real health issue. Counterfeit cigarettes could contain anything. “They are made to look like real brands. We found them easy to obtain and the raw tobacco often mixed with potentially deadly chemicals and waste products.” Investigators, funded by tobacco giant Philip Morris International, were offered cut-price smokes in 27 of the 32 spots they tried in Manchester. In the swoop, 62 packs and one carton of illegal cigs, including brands Palace and Manchester, were bought, plus loose tobacco. Some were made illegally and were dangerous while others were brought in from abroad but were made by the genuine manufacturer.