Two shops in Warrington have been served closure orders after counterfeit tobacco products were seized from the premises.
Raids at the International Mini Market and Tymbark shops in Orford Lane, Warrington, following reports of anti-social behaviour linked to the premises, led to the seizure of approximately 50,000 packets of counterfeit cigarettes and around 3kg of counterfeit tobacco, as well as a quantity of cash.
Alongside the shops, the closure order has also been served on the flats above them.
Officers imposed 48-hour closure notices on the stores and one of the flats, and subsequently applied for three-month closure orders to be enforced on the three addresses, which was granted by the Chester Crown Court on 19 March.
“The closure orders being secured stem from us receiving numerous reports of activity linked to the addresses having a substantial negative impact on the quality of life of local residents,” commented Inspector Danny Haddock, of Warrington Local Policing Unit (LPU).
The closure orders make it illegal for anyone to be at any of the three properties for three months.
Sergeant Alex Reeves, who applied for the closure orders on behalf of the Warrington Problem Solving Team, added that the raids have been a multi-agency operation involving HM Revenue and Customs, Warrington Borough Council’s trading standards department and the UK Visas and Immigration service.
“The premises were sources of significant anti-social behaviour and environmental issues in the area,” Reeves said.
“There were parking problems caused by the amount of people going to the shops where the counterfeit tobacco products were being sold, as well as issues stemming from children trying to get adults to buy the products for them.
“There were also littering and fly-tipping issues linked to the addresses.”
Reeves added that the officers would conduct regular checks of the premises whilst the orders are in place, reminding that anyone who breaches a closure order is liable to be arrested and face up to six months in prison, an unlimited fine or both.
Four men were spoken to at the addresses when the raids were carried out.
Their details have been passed on to HM Revenue and Customs, who are investigating the counterfeit tobacco products that were found in the properties.
