Four more shops closed in illegal tobacco crackdown
Posted on Tuesday 20th September 2022
Sixteen shops involved in the illicit sale of tobacco have been given closure orders this year following investigations led by Newport City Council.
In the latest round of court action, four more shops received three-month ASB closure orders issued by Gwent magistrates in August.
- Superstore, 141 Commercial Street (closed to 10 November 2022)
- Jacobs, 61 Commercial Street (closed to 11 November 2022)
- Maleek, 61 Commercial Road (closed to 17 November 2022)
- Food Store, 155 Commercial Road (closed to 30 November 2022)
Food Store unsuccessfully contested the application for the ASB closure order.
Twelve shops were given three-month closure orders by magistrates earlier this year. (https://www.newport.gov.uk/en/Council-Democracy/News/articles/2022/March-2022/Twelve-Newport-shops-closed-for-selling-illegal-tobacco.aspx)
It is estimated that all the closures will have prevented illegal tobacco sales of more than £500,000.
The sale of illegal tobacco undermines key tobacco control measures and funds criminal activity in local communities.
A survey by Ash Wales found that the illegal tobacco market makes up 15 per cent of all tobacco sales in Wales, with a higher prevalence in deprived communities.
The investigations were led by the council’s trading standards team supported by Gwent Police, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Ash Wales, South Wales Fire and Rescue, Newport NOW, HM Customs and Excise, representatives from the tobacco industry and officers from Operation CeCe, a specialist trading standards team tackling illegal tobacco.
Anyone with information relating to the sale of illegal tobacco is urged to report it, anonymously, at https://noifs-nobutts.co.uk/report-illegal-tobacco-in-wales