A-One Market in Annfield Plain shut down for illegal tobacco sales

A-One Market on West Road, Annfield Plain boasts it is “open seven days a week” on its shop signage, but will now be closed for three months after thousands of illegal cigarettes and dodgy vapes were found in a storage van.

The landlord had begged trading standards to have a previous closure order lifted, saying they would prevent criminal activity from happening there again, but it wasn’t long before the shop’s new tenants were found to be supplying illicit tobacco and non-compliant vapes, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard.

Magistrates ordered the closure of the premises. (Image: DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL) Officers secured a warrant for the shop which seemed to be clean until locals tipped them off to a van parked in front of a nearby garage for a week being used by shop workers to store illicit products.

When it was searched three bags filled with 5,900 illicit cigarettes, 5.5kg of rolling tobacco, and 30 dodgy vapes all worth more than £2.7k were found and seized.

Bags were found in the back of a van. (Image: DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL) The court heard that the shop workers denied any knowledge of the van, even though it was registered in the same name as one of the store workers. The van, which had been causing an obstruction to a garage belonging to another business in the area, was later removed by the council’s neighbourhood wardens. Attempts were made to contact the registered keeper, but no one claimed ownership of the vehicle and it was later disposed of.

Magistrates forced the store to close for three months, and it will remain shut until 11.59pm on February 13, 2025.

Gary Carr from Durham County Council said: “This is the second time this premises has been forced to close due to illegal tobacco in six months and we hope the action we’ve taken serves as a warning to other businesses that we will not tolerate this trade in County Durham. We continue to investigate these cases and further action will be taken if necessary.

Some of the illegal cigarettes found on the site. (Image: DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL) “Illegal tobacco might not seem like a big deal, but it can bring crime and health problems into our communities. Illicit tobacco is often associated with human trafficking, the sale of drugs and people being exploited by loan sharks and can make it easier for children to get hold of cheap non-compliant products.”

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Consett Neighbourhood Police Inspector Dave Stewart added: “Illicit and dangerous tobacco and vapes can not only cause serious harm to people’s health but the proceeds are often invested into organised crime and can help fund more serious and violent offences.

“We know that our communities will not tolerate the antisocial behaviour and criminality that these activities bring. If you have any information regarding potential criminality in your community then please report it to us - we will always act on intelligence submitted to us, as these closure orders have shown.”

Anyone with information on the suspected sale of illicit items is urged to report it by calling the illegal tobacco hotline on 0300 999 0000.