ANOTHER Lichfield shop has been ordered to close after illegal cigarettes were seized.
Lichfield District Council’s Environmental Health team secured a Court Order to shut Mini Market on St John Street.
It comes after a raid in partnership with Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards and Staffordshire Police.
The totals seized include 11,080 illicit cigarettes and 3.3kg of hand rolling tobacco worth a retail value of £6,668.
On Friday (30th January), Cannock Magistrates’ Court granted a Closure Order for Mini Market for the maximum permitted period of three months, effective immediately.
This action prevents anyone from entering the premises during the closure period unless authorised by law.
Cllr Richard Cox, Lichfield District Council’s cabinet member for community and public protection, said:
“Here we are again, closing yet another of these shops operating illegally. This is the fourth successful closure in just over two months.
“I reiterate that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in our district and we will continue to hit these premises wherever they might pop up.
“I also urge property owners to be vigilant and conduct necessary checks on the suitability of their tenants.
“We encourage anyone with concerns about suspicious sales to report them to Trading Standards so that we can work with them and our Environmental Health Officers can take action to close them down.”
Cllr Anthony Screen, cabinet member for community safety and resilience at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“This is another great result in our joint efforts to tackle the sale of illicit and illegal goods in Staffordshire.
“By working in partnership with Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire Police, we’ve been able to close another shop that has been flouting the law. It also sends out a clear message that we do not tolerate crime on our high streets.
“These products not only undermine legitimate businesses but pose serious health risks, especially to young people. The sale of illicit tobacco and vapes is not a victimless crime. It fuels organised criminal networks and undermines the safety of our streets.”
