More Shops Hit With Closure Orders

A Coventry store known as La Mirage, has been ordered to close its doors for six weeks after a Council investigation revealed the persistent sale of illegal tobacco and vaping products, officials say.

The Council’s Trading Standards and Legal teams applied to the Court for the order. Costs of over £4,800 were awarded to the Council, against both the Landlords of the premises, as well as the current and previous operators of the business.

Officers from Coventry Trading Standards told the Court that despite warnings, there were continued sales of illicit products from the shop.

The shop on Earlsdon Street, Coventry, was issued with a six-week closure order, which is additional to the two weeks in which the shop had already been closed following the service of a closure notice.

Coventry Magistrates Court heard that despite warnings and changes of ownership, the premises continued in the sale of illegal tobacco and vaping products. The products were found not to be compliant with the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 and other legislation. These sales were not only illegal but also have a detrimental effect on legitimate local businesses and contribute to anti-social behaviour in the local community.

Officials explained that the sale of illegal tobacco and vaping products “can be said to support Organised Crime Groups, which may also be involved in modern-day slavery, human trafficking, and other serious criminality. Furthermore, counterfeit tobacco and vapes present a serious risk to public health. Fake tobacco can contain very high levels of tar and other toxic chemicals. Illicit vapes can contain excessive amounts of nicotine. The lower prices at which these can be sold can also encourage children to start smoking or vaping.”

The store has been ordered to close until 13 January 2025 and no-one is allowed to access or remain on the premises. Those found to breach the Order may be imprisoned, fined or both.

Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Policing at the Council, said: “Our trading standards, legal and other services work closely with the Police and other partners to tackle illegal trading.

“This is important work, because ultimately consumers are at risk, and these type of illegal sales have a knock-on effect on legitimate businesses.

“I hope local people feel able to provide information about illegal traders and retailers where they feel there is potential criminal acts being carried out. Any information we receive will be followed up on.”

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law. Having removed 46 million illegal cigarettes, 12,600kg of hand rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, Operation CeCe – the National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC – continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.”

Buckinghamshire Council says “no ifs, no butts”, it will maintain “zero-tolerance on sales of illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes”.

Smokey World, in Castle Street, High Wycombe, was issued with a closure order by Wycombe Magistrates to run for three months and later the same month Red Power in Aylesbury was also served with a closure order for a period of three months. Most recently, Stoke Convenience Store in Stoke Road, Aylesbury, was served with a one-month closure order at a hearing at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court.

All three premises had been subject to investigations by officers from Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, having been caught selling a variety of illicit products including illegal vapes, counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco in test purchasing exercises carried out by undercover officers.

A number of operations involving tobacco detection dogs were also carried out at the locations. These specialist canines are trained to sniff out cigarettes and tobacco that is hidden from sight. At Smokey World the dogs were able to locate counterfeit good concealed behind sophisticated false wall panels. Stoke Convenience Store was also caught selling both regular vapes and alcohol to underage shoppers.

The closure orders were sought under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and mean neither of the premises is allowed to open for trade during the three month/one month period respectively. If the orders are breached, those involved are liable for arrest and could receive up to 51 weeks in prison, or a fine, or both.

Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Services said: “These are brilliant result for the council and for the residents of Buckinghamshire. Counterfeit goods like these are a menace to our society and undermine the interests of law-abiding retailers who do not compete on a level playing field. They have no regard for the impact their illegal activity has on legitimate local businesses trying to make an honest living. Equally, selling alcohol and even legal vapes to those who are underage is against the law and we will crack down on those who seek to ignore the law in this respect.”

Mark added: “Let this be a warning, such criminality will not be tolerated in Buckinghamshire. Our Trading Standards officers proactively assess compliance and will use all appropriate sanctions available to them to stop unscrupulous retailers from flouting the law.”

Warnings and punishments do not seem to be severe enough to act as a deterrent to these retailers. Many will wonder how illegal activity will escalate once disposable vapes are banned – and more so if eliquid flavours are also restricted.

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.