Two Wiltshire vape shops ordered to close
Both sold illegal tobacco to undercover Trading Standards officers
Two Wiltshire vape shops have been ordered to close for selling illegal tobacco.
Chippenham Mini Market in Chippenham and Vape Shop in Trowbridge are both closing after undercover officers managed to buy illegal products from their shops.
The orders were granted under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act.
Chippenham Mini Market opened in October 2024, with an undercover Trading Standards officer being sold illegal tobacco on 25th October.
Officers would visit the store on 6th November to advise the owner about the sale of illegal vapes and tobacco.
But two days later, officers returned with a tobacco detection dog and discovered counterfeit tobacco and illegal vapes in the shop. Similar products were also discovered next door at a Turkish barbers, which belongs to the same owner.
Later the same day, an undercover officer was again able to purchase illegal tobacco.
Vape Shop, formally known as My Sweet Shop, in Wicker Hill, Trowbridge, joins the Chippenham store in closing its doors.
In May last year, the previous owner of the businesses was handed a suspended 12-month prison sentence after over £100,000 worth of illegal tobacco and cigarettes was seized, with the shop closing shortly after, before reopening under new ownership.
However, after doors opened again, undercover officers were able to buy illegal tobacco in January 2025.
Last month, officers went to the store with a tobacco detection dog and Wiltshire Police, where the dog was able to identify a concealed storage area above the sink containing over 250 packs of cigarettes and 16 pouches of hand rolling tobacco. These were all seized.
Parvis Khansari, Corporate Director Place at Wiltshire Council, said: "Our Trading Standards team is doing an excellent job tackling illegal tobacco sales in Wiltshire and successfully applying for closure orders.
"I'd like to thank Wiltshire Police for their assistance in this case and also our colleagues in the Public Health team who helped with the funding for the tobacco detection dogs that we use in the raids.
"Illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law and this sort of activity will not be tolerated in Wiltshire."
Only those who are named habitual residents and authorised persons are now permitted to enter both addresses. Anyone else entering the premises is committing a criminal offence and on conviction may be sentenced to 51 weeks imprisonment and/or a fine.