Home / Crime and Justice / Illegal Tobacco Shop Shuttered for Three Months
Illegal Tobacco Shop Shuttered for Three Months
29 Nov
Summary
- A business proprietor ignored repeated warnings about selling illegal tobacco.
- Over £11,000 worth of illegal tobacco was seized across five raids.
- This is the 14th closure in Devon in the past six months.
A business in Exeter has been ordered to close for three months following repeated sales of illegal tobacco. The proprietor of the Mini Market on Cowick Street reportedly ignored numerous warnings from Trading Standards. Over the course of five separate raids, officers confiscated illegal tobacco valued at more than £11,000.
District Judge Smith issued the closure order at Exeter Magistrates' Court. This action resulted from a joint operation between Heart of the South West Trading Standards and Devon and Cornwall Police. Officials noted multiple attempts by shop workers to evade confiscation, including instances of fleeing with illicit goods during seizures.
This closure is the fourteenth in Devon over the past six months, with similar actions taken in other towns. Authorities stated that cheap, illicit tobacco products contribute to underage smoking and harm legitimate businesses. The police have vowed to continue addressing organized criminality and responding to public information.
