Hinckley c-store ordered to close down

A convenience store in Hinckley, which sold illegal cigarettes to undercover Trading Standards officers on eight occasions and had more than 1,800 packets of illegal tobacco seized during four enforcement visits, has been closed down for three months.

As informed by Leicestershire County Council, Easy Shop in Regent Street has been ordered to remain closed until April 15 by Leicester Magistrates Court, following a joint operation by Leicestershire County Council’s Trading Standards service and Leicestershire Police. The orders were issues last week.

The closure application was made after Trading Standards officers and police seized illegal tobacco from the business on four separate occasions between June 2022 and October 2024, which resulted in a total of 1,860 packets of tobacco being confiscated.

Trading Standards officers conducted a first test purchase at the shop in June 2022, following reports of illegal tobacco being sold from the premises. On that occasion, the officer was sold a packet of counterfeit Richmond cigarettes. Another test purchase in the following month also led to the sale of an illegal packet of cigarettes.

An enforcement visit carried out by Trading Standards officers, police and a tobacco detection dog in July 2022 discovered four packets of tobacco hidden in the shop.

Further repeated test purchases resulted in sales of illegal tobacco, while three further enforcement visits by Trading Standards officers supported by police and a tobacco detection dog yielded seizures of more than 1,800 tobacco products.

The tobacco was hidden in various locations, including a stairwell at the back of the shop, in the roof space of a stock room and in a car belonging to an employee.

The illegal sales continued, despite a change in ownership and several notices from Trading Standards reminding the owners of their legal responsibilities relating to tobacco sales. The final test purchase was carried out on 8 January 2025, when two packets of illegal tobacco were sold.

Magistrates granted the closure order under Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which prevents anyone from entering the address. Anyone who breaches it is liable to be prosecuted.

Large posters explaining that the business has been closed down due to illegal activity on the premises have been posted on the shop’s windows by Trading Standards officers.

Gary Connors, head of Leicestershire Trading Standards, said, "Our Trading Standards officers are actively tackling the trade in illegal cigarettes, which help to fund criminality.

"We will continue to work in partnership with Leicestershire Police to use all means at our disposal to disrupt those who seek to put our local community at a public health risk. The business will close for three months, and thereafter will be monitored if the premises reopen for business.

"Selling cheap or illicit cigarettes steals trade from our legitimate retailers who lose trade to rogue shopkeepers. All smoking is dangerous, but smoking illegal tobacco could potentially be even more harmful to health because the trade in counterfeit and illicit tobacco is unregulated, so there is no control over what is mixed with the tobacco.

"We will continue to clamp down on the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes, as well as underage sales, to protect Leicestershire residents from traders who break the law.

"We really appreciate members of the public reporting suspicions of illicit or cheap vapes and tobacco sales."