Albert Food Store and Portsmouth General Market Store, Southsea, shut for selling illegal cigarettes and vapes
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Two shops in Southsea have been shut down by Trading Standards officers for persistently selling illegal cigarettes and vapes.
Albert Food Store and Portsmouth General Market Store, both in Albert Road, have been closed. Trading Standards found Albert Food Store's recent owner conducted illegal activity on 11 separate occasions in two years.
Following eight undercover test purchases and three inspections, £47,000 of illicit stock was seized. Portsmouth City Council issued a 48-hour Notice of Closure on July 31. Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard on August 2 that the store had a long history of supplying counterfeit and smuggled tobacco products.
Items would be hidden in sophisticated concealments in the shop and vehicles nearby, court heard. Court also heard that the business intentionally concealed the individuals responsible, with the official owner changing hands frequently.
.png?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
At Portsmouth General Market Store, 11 offences took place in just over a year. A vape was sold to a child during one of nine test purchases carried out by Trading Standards officers. Following two inspections, £4,000 of illegal stock was seized. A 48-hour Notice of Closure was also served on July 31, with magistrates in court on August 14 agreeing that criminal behaviour took place. Both shops will be shut for the next three months. Kingston Mini Market, in North End, was closed down temporarily last year following similar incidents.
Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt said: “Our Trading Standards team will continue to use all of the tools available to stop the supply of illegal tobacco products being sold to our residents. We estimate this recent intervention has prevented £90,000 of illegally gained money from reaching the hands of criminals, and stopped harmful products being used by adults and children. This should serve as a stark warning that we will take the same action against any business found selling counterfeit items and tobacco products to under-18s.”
The locks on both premises have been changed and anyone entering can be fined, or jailed for up to 51 months. After the three months, the council can apply for an extension to the closure if there is no evidence to suggest the business can open and operate legally.