A shop in County Durham has been closed after illegal tobacco was sold from the building.

Harry’s Mini Market on Market Street, Ferryhill shut down after Durham County Council secured a three-month closure from Peterlee Magistrates Court.

The order follows a visit to the store from a trading standards officer in October this year.

During the visit, the shop owner told officers that no illegal tobacco products were in stock in the building.

However, a search by officers found cigarette packets which did not display the necessary health warnings and a bag containing various cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco.

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Some of these cigarettes were tested and confirmed as counterfeit.

Meanwhile, during a further visit to the shop a month later a test purchase was carried out and two packets of cigarettes were sold, which were also believed to be counterfeit.

A number of electronic cigarettes were also seized during the search of the premises as it was believed that they exceeded the permitted volume of nicotine-containing liquid.

When a second test purchase was carried out, two packets of cigarettes which were marked as duty-free was sold.

These were also believed to be counterfeit.

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Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s public protection manager, said: “We hope this serves as a warning that the sale of illegal tobacco in our communities will not be tolerated.

“It can have a serious impact on health, as well bringing crime and nuisance into our towns and villages.

“It also makes it easier for children to get hold of cheap tobacco, undermining the efforts of stop smoking services which do fantastic work to prevent and reduce cases of smoking.

“We continue to investigate this case and further action will be taken if necessary.”