Goldthorpe shop temporarily shut after more than 11,000 illegal cigarettes found
Mr Blue is Goldthorpe has been shut down after a visit from Trading Standards
A shop in Goldthorpe has been ordered to close for three months after thousands of illegal cigarettes were discovered during a council investigation.
Barnsley Magistrates’ Court granted the closure order for Mr Blue, on Doncaster Road, on 12 March following action by Barnsley Council’s Trading Standards and Legal Services teams.
More than 11,000 illegal cigarettes were seized from the premises over a number of weeks.
Officers first visited the shop in January, where they found around 7,400 illegal cigarettes and 10 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco that did not meet legal safety requirements.
During a follow-up visit later that month, they uncovered a hidden compartment containing a further 3,680 cigarettes and 47 non-compliant pouches of tobacco.
The council said none of the seized products complied with the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, as they were missing legally required health warnings.
Investigators also found the items were being sold for as little as £5, and the business failed a test purchase carried out in February.
Under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities can apply for closure orders where premises are linked to criminal activity or public nuisance.
In addition to the three-month closure, the tenant of the shop, Shaxawan Mustapha Ahmed, was ordered to pay costs of £3,748.
Councillor Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said the case highlighted the risks linked to illegal tobacco.
She said: “Our teams are committed to tackling and preventing the sale of illegal tobacco in Barnsley, protecting the health and safety of our communities.
“While all tobacco poses significant health risks, unregulated products can contain higher levels of harmful substances, making them even more dangerous to people’s health.
“This result sends a clear message that we won’t tolerate illegal trading in Barnsley.”
Barnsley Council said its Trading Standards team would continue to target the sale of illicit tobacco and other unsafe products.
Residents can report concerns about counterfeit goods, including illegal tobacco and vapes, by contacting the council’s regulatory services team.