Nelson shop ordered to close for three months after selling illicit cigarettes and vapes to children

A shop in Nelson has been ordered to close for three months after a police investigation revealed they were selling illicit cigarettes and vapes to children.

It follows a joint operation between Lancashire Police and Trading Standards, with officers from both agencies conducting a number of inspections at 2 Four 7 Convenience on Barkerhouse Road, which have resulted in the seizure of illicit cigarettes, vapes, and tobacco.

The shop also failed an underage test purchase by selling a vape to a young person.

Alongside the sale of illicit products, there had also been complaints of antisocial behaviour and noise nuisance made about the shop.

The three-month closure order was granted following a hearing at Preston Magistrates Court.

Under UK law, initial premises closure orders are capped at three months.

Anyone seen entering the store before the closure order concludes on Thursday, February 4, 2027 without reasonable excuse will be committing a criminal offence and can face a fine and/or imprisonment.

Sergeant Carl McCoy from the Pendle Prosper Partnership Team said: “Trading of this nature is not, and never will be, tolerated in Pendle and we will continue to work with our partners including Trading Standards, HMRC, and Pendle Borough Council, to take firm action on those businesses that sell illicit tobacco and cigarettes.

“I would ask the residents of Pendle to keep reporting concerns to us or Trading Standards, as your information is pivotal to the way we carry out our investigations and they are taken very seriously.”

Coun Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council, said: “The seizure of illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes shows exactly why this enforcement work is so important.

“These products have no place in our communities, particularly when we are also seeing age-restricted products being sold to young people.

“We will continue working with our partners to disrupt the illegal trade and take firm action against businesses that break the law.

“Anyone with information about the sale of illicit goods can report it to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.”

This closure order was undertaken as part of Lancashire Constabulary’s Operation Centurion, a county-wide crack down on anti-social behaviour and criminality, backed by the Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.