Shops caught selling illegal cigarettes and vapes in Stoke-on-Trent forced to close

Trading standards officers shut down five premises after repeated illegal sales and seized more than £50,000 worth of tobacco and vapes

Author: Ellie RobsonPublished 6th Mar 2026

Five shops in Stoke-on-Trent have been shut down after being caught selling illegal cigarettes, vapes and tobacco—some to children.

The council’s trading standards team swooped in after warnings were ignored and over £50,000 worth of illegal products were seized.

Four of the shops are in Longton and one in Tunstall.

Officials say the crackdown is about keeping people safe, protecting health, and backing honest local businesses.

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