The Stockton shop flogging illegal tabs for fiver a packet and passing tobacco through ceiling tile
A Stockton shop selling illegal cigarettes for £5 a packet and passing tobacco through a ceiling tile has been shut down for three months.Summary
Teesside Vape on Bishopton Lane, Stockton, has been closed for three months after a stash of illicit tobacco was uncovered in a hidden room. Trading standards officers, supported by Cleveland Police and a detection dog, seized 8,840 illegal cigarettes and 36 pouches of illicit tobacco. Tobacco was being passed to staff through a ceiling tile from a raised platform. On a second visit, a further 2,260 cigarettes and 11 pouches of tobacco were found inside a cardboard box under a coat. The illicit cigarettes were sold for £5 a pack, well below market price, and failed packaging regulations. Stockton Council secured a three-month closure order at Teesside Magistrates' Court. Cllr Norma Stephenson emphasized the message that businesses breaking legal obligations will face consequences. The operation was part of Operation Cece, run with National Trading Standards and HMRC. Inspector Andy Vickers noted that illicit tobacco is often associated with other crime. The public is encouraged to report illegal sales to trading standards.
(Source：Teessidelive)
