A Rochdale shop that sold illegal vapes, counterfeit tobacco, foods not labelled in English and toys that did not meet safety standards has been closed by the council.
Trading standards officers applied for an order to shut the Drake Street Food Store, also known as Polski Sklep, after finding large volumes of illegal and potentially dangerous goods at the business – including items concealed under a toilet.
Since June 2024, the council has seized approximately 33,350 fake cigarettes and 26kg of hand rolled tobacco during a series of undercover visits at the premises.
Trading standards officers discovered illegal goods hidden at the premises.
Cigarettes in fake packaging were sold well below standard prices at £4 and £5 with illicit tobacco products found also concealed inside the store, a commercial bin at the rear of the property and in nearby parked cars.
'potentially dangerous goods'
Despite several warnings the shop, located at 138a Drake Street, continued to sell illegal goods; forcing the council to take action to protect local consumers from potentially dangerous goods produced on the black market. The move also protects other businesses who are put at a disadvantage by shops that sell fake goods cheaper than genuine products.
The director of the business, the landlords of the property and shop workers were all warned about the consequences of selling illicit tobacco goods but the activity continued.
A closure order was granted at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 4 June after the council argued that the illegal activity was likely to continue unless the business was closed.
Deputy leader and portfolio holder for climate change and environment, Councillor Tricia Ayrton, said:
“Our efforts to take these illegal products off our streets really uncover the extent these criminals will go to, to supply fake cigarettes and other items to their customers – not least concealing them in a hole under a toilet of all places.
“Despite repeated warnings from our officers, the people running this business clearly believe they were above the law which is why we have been left with no alternative but to shut them down.
“The health and safety of our residents is incredibly important and it’s thanks to our continued efforts in trading standards and the support of Greater Manchester Police that we are helping to keep these harmful items off our streets.”
Inspector Meena Yasin, who leads the police response to Operation Tetbury in Rochdale, said:
“We want to make Rochdale town centre a safer place to live, visit and invest in.
"Over the past few months my neighbourhood team has been working with Rochdale Council and other partners looking at the different ways in which we can use a combination of criminal, civil and regulatory enforcement powers to solve problems and associated criminality and anti-social behaviour.
"This closure order represents our work with trading standards to use enforcement legislation on business premises."
These measures will now see the business closed for a total of 3 months, the maximum period of time enforceable under the terms of this closure application.
If you are aware of illicit tobacco or any other illegal items on sale at a local business, please report this to trading standards by emailing trading.standards@rochdale.gov.uk or calling 0808 223 1133.