Trading Standards officers from Staffordshire County Council have supported Lichfield District Council’s Environmental Health team in securing a Court Order to close another Lichfield shop involved in the sale of illegal cigarettes.
On Wednesday 28 January, the teams, supported by Staffordshire Police, executed a planned raid at Mini Market on St John Street, Lichfield, following intelligence reports and targeted inspections linked to the unlawful sale of illicit tobacco.
Significant quantities of suspected illegal products were seized during the operation. The totals seized include 11,080 illicit cigarettes and 3.3kg of hand rolling tobacco worth a retail value of £6,668.
On Friday 30 January, Cannock Magistrates’ Court granted a Closure Order for Mini Market for the maximum permitted period of three months, effective immediately. This action prevents anyone from entering the premises during the closure period unless authorised by law.
Closure Orders are used to protect the public and disrupt criminal or unsafe trading practices.
Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“This is another great result in our joint efforts to tackle the sale of illicit and illegal goods in Staffordshire.
“By working in partnership with Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire Police, we’ve been able to close another shop that has been flouting the law. It also sends out a clear message that we do not tolerate crime on our high streets.
“These products not only undermine legitimate businesses but pose serious health risks, especially to young people. The sale of illicit tobacco and vapes is not a victimless crime. It fuels organised criminal networks and undermines the safety of our streets.”
Councillor Richard Cox, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Public Protection, said:
“Here we are again closing yet another of these shops operating illegally. This is the fourth successful closure in just over 2 months.
“I reiterate that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in our district and we will continue to hit these premises wherever they might pop up.
“I also urge property owners to be vigilant and conduct necessary checks on the suitability of their tenants.
“We encourage anyone with concerns about suspicious sales to report them to Trading Standards so that we can work with them and our Environmental Health Officers can take action to close them down.”
People can report suspected sales of illegal tobacco or vapes in confidence via Trading Standards report it | Staffordshire County Council or through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.
