A County Durham shop has been shuttered after illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes worth more than £16,000 were found hidden behind a fake wall.
The Quick Pick Store, in Peterlee, has been ordered to close by Peterlee Magistrates' Court after an investigation found the store was flogging the illicit products.
Magistrates heard that Durham County Council officers raided the premises after receiving intelligence from the community, discovering a false wall.
When removed, this revealed around £16,211.00 worth of illegal tobacco related products, with the team seizing 10,060 cigarettes, 15.25 kg of hand rolling tobacco, and 852 non-compliant disposable vapes, which contained nicotine.
The court granted a three-month closure order on the premises, lasting until February 2025, and ordered Quick Pick Store to pay £1,709 in costs.
Gary Carr, the council’s strategic regulation manager, said: “Tackling illegal tobacco remains a key priority for us as it brings crime and health problems into our communities.
"It can often fuel human trafficking, the drugs trade and loan sharks, as well as impact on compliant businesses and make it easier for children to get hold of cheap tobacco.
“We’d like to thank the community for providing us with the intelligence for Quick Pick Store. Receiving community intelligence is a vital way for us to know if suspected illegal trade is being carried out and we would encourage anyone with information on the suspected sale of illegal items to report it to us, so that we can investigate and take action if necessary.
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“We hope that another successful closure will act as a warning to other businesses that we will not tolerate the trade of illegal tobacco in County Durham.”
Members of the public with any information on the suspected sale of illegal items can report it by calling the illegal tobacco hotline on 0300 999 0000.
For residents seeking to quit smoking, support can be provided from Smokefree County Durham on 0800 772 0565 or online at www.smokefreecountydurham.co.uk
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