A shop found to be selling illegal tobacco, cigarettes and vapes has been issued with a closure order – the first of its kind in North East Lincolnshire.
Orange shop on Hainton Avenue, Grimsby, was raided earlier in 2026 by officers from Humberside Police and the Council’s Trading Standards Team.
Thousands of items were found during the raid including cigarettes and tobacco pouches with incorrect packaging and vapes breaching various legal limits.
Now, following a hearing at Grimsby Magistrates Court today, Tuesday, 29 September, judges have ruled that the shop must remain closed for up to three months.
Initially, the Council informed the business that it intended to serve a closure notice should it be deemed to be continuing with criminal activity or be a source of Anti-Social Behaviour. As part of the process, there was a consultation period allowing the business owner and other relevant parties to comment. In this case, despite multiple warnings and raids, the shop continued to sell the illegal products to children as well as adults.
Ultimately, this has caused serious problems for nearby residents and the surrounding community; which is why the Council felt it necessary to issue a closure notice on the premises.
The notice, served the day before the Court hearing, meant they had to close for a short period of time until an official court hearing. The court ultimately agreed with the decision to close and issued the full closure order.
If an order is issued, like in this case, a bench of judges will instruct that the premises must be closed for a maximum of 3 months. During that time, people cannot enter or remain in the building unless otherwise stated. If anyone were to breach the order without a good enough reason, it could result in a six-month prison sentence.
By law, vapes should have an internal tank capacity of no more than 2ml, and the level of nicotine contained in the vaping fluid should not exceed 20mg/ml (or 2 per cent). Additionally, since June 1, 2025, vapes must be refillable, rechargeable and the coil, which heats the liquid to produce the vapour, must also be easily replaceable by the user.
Failure to comply with any one of those requirements would mean the vape is illegal under The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations.
As with tobacco products, these items are required to display certain health warnings and every such device, and the liquid it contains, should be registered with the MHRA (Medicines and Health care products Regulatory Agency) prior to being released onto the market.
Speaking outside the court following the order, Leader of the Council, Oliver Freeston said: “This is something I’ve been pushing for over recent months.
“Time and time again we see shops get raided in the morning and they’re back selling illegal products in the afternoon – it simply wasn’t good enough.
“During a summit earlier this year, the Council and other leading partners agreed to look at how we could make a real difference in combatting the trade of illegal tobacco products.
“This is a sign of our intentions going forward and I’m happy that we’re taking a step in the right direction.” He added: “Let this be a lesson to others selling illegal products – we have zero tolerance for it and will do everything we can to stop you.
“Having said that, local authorities still need more powers to more swiftly, cost effectively and comprehensively deal with all of the shops that are causing these issues.”
There are also serious health implications to using illegal tobacco products like these. Nige Oliver, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, added: “When you buy these products, you could be putting your own health at risk. Not only has no duty been paid on them but they’ve not been tested to ensure they’re safe.
“Additionally, I urge smokers in our region to use the support services on offer to help them to quit smoking.
“We have so many examples of people turning their lives around completely after quitting smoking with support from the Wellbeing Team.”
To report the sale of illicit tobacco products, email [email protected] or call (01472) 326299, option 3. For more information on how to quit smoking, visit https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/health-wellbeing-and-social-care/health-and-wellbeing/stop-smoking/
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