Coventry supermarket ordered to close after 'persistently selling illegal tobacco to kids'
A Coventry shop has been forced to close after 'persistently selling illegal tobacco to kids.' Saad Supermarket in Hillfields was ordered to shut for a three-month period last Wednesday (January 15).
Saad Supermarket, which previously traded as Victoria Mini Market, was found to be selling illegal tobacco and vaping products to people under the age of 18. Costs of £4,974 were awarded to Coventry City Council and will be equally split between the business operator and the landlord of the building on Primrose Hill Street.
Officials at Trading Standards applied to Coventry Magistrates' Court to temporarily close Saad Supermarket under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Now, the city-based shop has to remain closed for three months, and no one is allowed to access or remain on the premises, Coventry City Council said.
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It cannot legally reopen until Tuesday, April 15. Anyone found on the premises before this point faces being fined or jailed.
Workers were given repeated warnings but continued to sell the illicit products to minors, Coventry Magistrates' Court heard. Councillors said Saad Supermarket remaining open would have posed a 'clear risk' to youngsters in the city, particularly those who attend nearby Sidney Stringer Academy.
Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council, said: “Our Trading Standards and legal teams once again have taken the necessary action against businesses who ignore the law. It is important that we publicise this work because it will not be tolerated.”
He continued: “In this case, there was an added concern about Sidney Stringer Academy being so close. It is a warning to any other businesses, and I would encourage any residents who have similar concerns about local shops they suspect may be selling illegal vapes and tobacco and also selling to people underage to contact us.”
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, added: “It harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law. Having removed 46m illegal cigarettes, 12,600kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, Operation CeCe, the National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC, continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.”
Traders selling illegal products in the city have been warned that they face being fined or jailed. Coventry City Council vowed to continue tackling the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products and urged people to report illegal activity to Trading Standards.
A spokesman said: “We need information from the public to help us with issues like this. Information we receive about where and when this type of activity is happening will help us build an intelligence picture and enable us to act where necessary.”
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