Barnsley shop shut after 220,000 illegal cigarettes and tobacco products seized
Lidia Mini Market, on Sheffield Road, was served with a closure order
A Barnsley convenience store has been ordered to shut for three months after investigators uncovered hundreds of thousands of illegal cigarettes, unsafe food products and banned vapes.
Lidia Mini Market, on Sheffield Road, was served with a closure order following a hearing at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, December 11.
The action followed a lengthy investigation by Barnsley Council’s Trading Standards team, supported by South Yorkshire Police, after repeated inspections found the business breaching multiple safety and trading laws.
Officers seized more than 220,000 illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco products that failed to meet UK safety standards, alongside illegal vapes and food items sold without proper labelling or allergy information.
Trading Standards said the shop continued selling unsafe food products despite being issued with improvement notices requiring them to be removed from sale until correctly labelled.
Illegal disposable vapes were also found on sale, including products that exceeded legal capacity limits and others sold after the national ban came into force in June. Some of the vapes were designed in a way officers said could pose a risk to children.
Test purchase operations also identified illegal tobacco being sold that did not comply with UK health warning requirements.
The closure order was granted under powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which allows courts to shut down premises linked to serious or persistent nuisance or criminal activity.
Councillor Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said the case sent a clear message to traders.
She said businesses had a legal duty to ensure products were safe and properly labelled, adding that failures put the public at risk and undermined legitimate retailers.
Trading Standards officers said they would continue to take enforcement action to tackle the sale of illegal tobacco and unsafe products across the borough.
Residents with information about counterfeit or illegal goods are being urged to contact Barnsley Council’s Regulatory Services team.