Tile Hill Mini Market, located on Station Avenue within Coventry, has been ordered to close for persistently selling illegal tobacco and vapes for the third time.
Tile Hill Mini Market, located on Station Avenue within Coventry, has been ordered to close for persistently selling illegal tobacco and vapes for the third time.
On the Wednesday 15 July 2026, the Coventry Magistrates Court ordered the premises to close for three months.
The Council’s Trading Standards and Legal teams applied to the Magistrates Court for a Closure Order, which was granted under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Trading Standards Officers have been investigating the premises and on numerous occasions, and have found large amounts of illicit cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco, and vapes on site as well as continued sales of illegal goods. Illicit products were also found to be concealed in a rear storage area.
Tobacco on these premises has been found to be counterfeit and duty evaded. These products can cause long-lasting health problems and take away vital resources and funding from deprived communities. The sale of illegal cigarettes means traders do not comply with UK labelling requirements, including plain packaging, and the low cost indicates that duty and VAT payments have not been made on the cigarettes or tobacco.
Officers attempted to work with operators of the business to bring them into compliance; however, advice and warnings went unheeded.
The Court awarded costs to the Council, which will be apportioned and recovered in accordance with the Council’s usual procedures against the business operators and landlord of the premises.
The store has been ordered to close completely for three months, and no-one is allowed to access or remain on the premises while the Closure Orders are in effect. The Closure Order will remain in force until 11.59pm on Wednesday 14 October 2026.
Those found to breach the Order may be imprisoned, fined or both.
Cllr John McNicholas, Community Safety and Cohesion, added: “I’m really pleased that we have secured yet another closure order on this shop!
“We are increasing our efforts in partnership with the Police and the community and I will continue to take a zero tolerance approach to any illegal activity by retailers, whether that’s illegal tobacco, vape or any other counterfeit sales.
“I know this action will deter other retailers who wish to break the law - and I encourage all our residents to report this criminal activity.”
Trading Standards are working closely with West Midlands Police and other partners to improve communities and stop commercial crime.
Coventry South Northwest Inspector, Dal Bal, said: "The focus of our activity is always to reduce crime and disorder and make Coventry a safer place.
“We received reports that this shop was repeatedly selling illegal cigarettes and vapes. The sale of these products undermines legitimate businesses, evades regulations, and can pose significant risks to public health.
“Working alongside Council Trading Standards Officers, our teams have taken action to close these business premises. Our priority is to protect our communities and tackle those who repeatedly break the law by putting illegal profits ahead of the safety and wellbeing of the public.”
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 increases the burden on law enforcement and takes away funding from communities. 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, National Trading Standards, said: “The illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses serious risks to local communities, especially young people. Since its launch in January 2021, Operation CeCe – a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC – has removed 102 million illegal cigarettes, 20,550kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, helping to clamp down on this illicit trade and protect communities and honest businesses across the UK.”
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: coventry.gov.uk/businesscompliancereportit