A Coventry store has been ordered to close its doors for three months.
A Coventry store has been ordered to close its doors for three months, after a Council investigation discovered Saad Supermarket (which previously traded as Victoria Mini Market) on Primrose Hill Street, Coventry, persistently sold illegal tobacco and vaping products, as well as selling these items to persons under 18.
Costs of £4,974.26 were awarded to the Council, to be equally split between both the operator of the business and the landlord of the premises.
The Council’s Trading Standards and Legal teams applied to Coventry Magistrates Court for a Closure Order, which was granted on Wednesday 15 January 2025 under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The store has been ordered to close completely for three months and no-one is allowed to access or remain on the premises.
The Closure Order will remain in force until midnight on Tuesday 15 April 2025.
Those found to breach the Order may be imprisoned, fined or both.
The Court heard that despite warnings, there were continued sales of illicit products from the shop, as well as the sale of such to minors. Due to its proximity to a local school, this was a clear risk to the safety of the community and robust enforcement action was required.
Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Council Leader, said: “Our trading standards and legal teams once again have taken the necessary action against businesses who ignore the law”.
“It’s important that we publicise this work because it will not be tolerated both by the Council or the police. In this case there was an added concern about the school being so close”.
“It’s a warning to any other businesses and I’d encourage any residents, who have similar concerns about local shops they suspect may be selling illegal vapes and tobacco and also selling to people under age, to contact us.”
The sale of illegal tobacco and vaping products has a detrimental effect on legitimate local businesses and also contributes to anti-social behaviour in the community.
It can also support organised crime, which may also be linked to modern-day slavery, human trafficking, and other serious criminality. Illegal tobacco and vaping products also present a serious public health issue with very high levels of tar, nicotine and other toxic chemicals. The lower prices at which these items can be sold also encourage children to start smoking or vaping.
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law. Having removed 46 million 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.”
Coventry Trading Standards will use all available powers to protect the local community and legitimate businesses.
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.
If you are concerned about similar activity happening where you live, you can send us an anonymous report – please search ‘Coventry Trading Standards’ and use the online reporting form, or find the anonymous form on the Council's website.