A shisha bar on Green Lane has been raided by the council as it fights to enforce the smoking ban.

The swoop on Empire Shisha Lounge came after they were tipped off that customers were smoking pipes in a “substantially enclosed” space.

More than 200 shisha pipes were seized and officers also issued four on-the-spot £80 fines to customers who were smoking on the premises.

Councillor Laila Butt, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Protection said: “Our clampdown on illicit smoking is part of a wider drive to get tough on anyone flouting environmental law – such as the smoking ban.

“We are determined to make a cleaner, healthier and better Barking and Dagenham.”

She added that there will be more such raids to come and said that business owners who disregard smoking regulations “will face the music”.