Closure orders secured for stores selling illegal vapes

We have secured closure orders for stores in Manchester Road, Broadgreen, following a series of successful warrants yesterday morning (19/11).

Officers from Swindon Central South NPT, with support from other police colleagues, Trading Standards, HMRC and Immigration Enforcement, conducted four simultaneous warrants to disrupt the sale of illegal cigarettes and vapes.

Five people were arrested under the trade marks act and more than £55,000 of illicit cigarettes and vapes seized.

Today, the court granted officers Closure Orders for three months on Kubus Polski Sklep and a related residential property.

Interim Closure Orders were granted for the Istanbul Market and the Romanian and Polish Shop until a further court hearing.

These orders prevent any people from entering the properties so they’re not able to sell any more illegal items and continue to pose a risk to public health.

PC Butwell from the Central South NPT said: “Our role as a Neighbourhood Policing Team is to target local community issues.

“Concerns were raised by the community about the ongoing illegal sales in these shops, which led to the warrants being conducted.

“To further address these concerns and to prevent future issues, we took action to seek Closure Orders on these premises. 

“If you have any information regarding ongoing illegal activity, please pass it on to police either by calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously so that action can be taken.”