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.
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