Greater Manchester’s first closure order against shop selling illegal alcohol, tobacco

A shop caught selling thousands of pounds worth of illegal alcohol, tobacco and nitrous oxide canisters for suspected drug use, has been temporarily shut down, marking the first closure order of its kind in Greater Manchester.

The decision follows a lengthy investigation by trading standards officers assisted by officers from Greater Manchester Police as part of Operation Avro. Bolton Council had first applied to magistrates for the closure order of Ramiro’s Mini Market on St Helens Road under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.  

According to local reports, the investigation began in March 2021 when the shop was banned from selling alcohol after illegal tobacco was purchased during an undercover operation.

In November 2021 there was intelligence from local people and businesses that the shop was selling counterfeit alcohol.

The following month a search of the premises resulted in the seizure of more than £5,000 worth of beer and wine as well as eight bottles of vodka.

In March of this year, more than half a kilo of tobacco and 188 nitrous oxide canisters, suspected to be sold for psychoactive purposes, were seized from a vehicle connected to the shop, reports said.

Despite several visits from trading standards officers and previous seizures of illegal goods, the shop ignored continued warnings and continued to trade in these items, the council said. On June 17, a closure order was imposed against Ramiro’s which will now be closed for three months.

“Closing a business is not an easy task, nor something we do lightly,” Deputy leader of Bolton council Cllr Hilary Fairclough said.

“Trading standards officers have worked tirelessly to provide the necessary evidence. This business has repeatedly been warned over the sale of illegal goods and nitrous oxide canisters for recreational drug use and clearly has no regard for the law or the health and wellbeing of our community.

“These goods can be harmful to people’s health, and it is vital we get them off our streets.    

“I urge members of the public to continue reporting such activity so that we can take the necessary action.”