Another Rochdale store shut down over illegal tobacco sales

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 11:10

By David Murphy

A shop operating on Oldham Road in Rochdale has been shut down for three months following a court order prompted by illicit tobacco sales, marking the fifth closure in the area within seven months.

Rochdale Borough Council’s trading standards team, supported by Greater Manchester Police, secured the closure order at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court against a unit trading from Rochdale European Market, 19 Oldham Road.

The court heard how more than 1,500 packs of illegal cigarettes and over 3kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized from the shop, which was found to be selling products that do not comply with UK packaging laws and could pose health risks.

Although the closure was initially contested by the landlord, the court granted the council’s application, issuing a three-month order under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The order prevents any business from operating at the premises during the closure period.

The unit becomes the fifth to be shut down in the Drake Street and Oldham Road area in under a year, as part of the council’s ongoing crackdown on illegal tobacco trade.

Councillor Tricia Ayrton, deputy leader and cabinet member for climate change and environment, praised the trading standards team for their continued enforcement work.

She said:

The fact that this is the fifth closure in just seven months shows how seriously we take illicit tobacco trading. These businesses damage our high streets and undermine legitimate traders. We will continue to work hard to ensure residents can shop with confidence and that legal businesses receive the support they deserve.

Illicit tobacco is known to undercut lawful retailers and is often linked to wider criminal activity, including organised crime and, in some cases, modern slavery. Rochdale’s trading standards officers have prioritised the issue due to the potential risks to public health and community safety.

Donate to Roch Valley Radio

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Green Party leader rallied supporters in Gorton and Denton by election campaign

The co leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Zack Polanski, visited Gorton and Denton to lead a rally backing the party’s campaign in the upcoming by-election.
Three Bury residents awarded Freedom of the Borough for decades of public service

Three people described as among the very best of Bury have been granted the borough’s highest civic honour in recognition of decades of service to local communities.
James Frith MP backs expansion of review rights for rape and sexual assault cases in Bury North

Victims of rape and serious sexual assault in Bury North are set to gain stronger safeguards when prosecutors decide to drop cases, following the expansion of a national review scheme supported by local MP James Frith.
Rochdale MP’s Commons pub plea goes viral as Government confirms support package

A light hearted Commons moment by Rochdale MP Paul Waugh has racked up tens of thousands of views online after he used a well known local phrase while pressing ministers to support struggling pubs.
Bury Council report highlights how everyday places shape local health

A new report from Bury Council has set out how the types of shops, services and businesses in neighbourhoods can have a direct impact on people’s health, particularly in areas facing higher levels of deprivation.
Reform UK candidate says voters are ‘angry’ over HMOs, crime and decline of high streets

Reform UK’s candidate for the upcoming Gorton & Denton by-election has criticised the growth of houses of multiple occupancy, rising crime and the decline of town centres.
New party announces local election candidates after political rift

Bury’s newest party will be putting forward several candidates in the upcoming local election after a political rift tore the Conservative group apart. Together for Bury will be represented by three councillor hopefuls in Pilkington Park, Bury West and Tottington.
Five councillors on Labour’s long list for Gorton and Denton

Five Greater Manchester councillors have been long-listed to be Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands.
Matt Goodwin announced as Reform candidate in Gorton and Denton

Reform UK has confirmed that political commentator and academic Matt Goodwin will stand for the party in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by election.
Eamonn O’Brien applies for Labour selection in Gorton and Denton

The leader of Bury Council, Eamonn O’Brien, has applied to be selected as the Labour candidate for the Gorton and Denton parliamentary constituency, it's understood.
Andy Burnham block could shape Labour’s future, says political expert

Labour’s decision to prevent Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election could have serious national consequences, according to a leading political academic.
GMP chief backs 'FBI-style' National Police Service in long-overdue reform

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police has thrown his weight behind government plans to create a US-style national crime-fighting agency, calling the overhaul of policing structures “bold” and “decades overdue”.