A  HALESOWEN mini-market has been ordered to close for three months for selling illegal cigarettes and vapes despite repeated warnings.

Halesowen Mini Market on Peckingham Street, Halesowen, has been selling illegal cigarettes and vapes since November 2021, Dudley's trading standards team discovered.

Despite the team carrying out sting operations on 11 occasions, including one where a vape was sold to a person under the age of 18, the business continued sell illegal goods while causing nuisance in the town centre, Dudley Council said.

Illegal goods were stored in various locations in the shop, including a special metal door that contained a void in the wall. Items were also stored in various vehicles and nearby properties.

Even when trading standards advised the business they would be attending the shop on July 16 to close the business for 24 hours, officers attending found a white van used by the business storing £58,000 worth of illegal tobacco and vapes.

The van was seized by West Midlands Police, with trading standards seizing the contents of the vehicle. Trading standards also served a closure notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and closed the shop for 24 hours.

Trading standards then proceeded to Dudley Magistrates’ Court on July 17 to make an application to close the business for three months.

The court heard the uncontested application and granted the closure order - ordering the landlord and tenant pay 50 per cent each of Dudley Council’s costs, which was in excess of £11,000.

Councillor James Clinton, the council's cabinet member for public health, said: “This business was deliberately and openly breaking the law and putting people’s health and in particular the health of minors at significant risk. Illegal tobacco and vaping supplies can be adulterated with unknown ingredients and dangerous chemicals, and often funds organised crime.

“We not only aim to protect consumers and safeguard legitimate businesses, but we also look to fully investigate all suspects including landlords, who may be aware their property is being used for crime.

“Our trading standards team will not hesitate to take enforcement action to protect the public.”