Businesses in Huddersfield and Dewsbury, that were caught selling illegal cigarettes, have been ordered to close as part of police efforts to cut funding for organised criminals, West Yorkshire Police stated on Wednesday (Nov 11).
Kirklees Police has said more action is on the way after town centre officers and Kirklees licensing officer Katie Swift served court closure orders on businesses in Huddersfield and Dewsbury.
Kingsgate News in Huddersfield and the Mini Market on South Street, Dewsbury had their doors locked and secured by police after being served with three-month premises closure orders last week.
Officers attended at both businesses during the morning of Wednesday 4 November, after the orders were granted at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court the day before. The orders, which were made under Section 85 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, are in place until 2 February and prohibit anyone but police officers from entering the buildings. Anyone who breaches them could face up to 12 months in prison or a fine.
In partnership with colleagues at West Yorkshire Trading Standards, officers conducted three operations at Kingsgate News in 2026. In an August inspection, 83 x 20 packets of cigarettes and 29 x 50g pouches of hand rolling tobacco and 20 oversized vapes were located. All of the products were unlicenced.
Officers also carried out multiple inspections at the Mini Mart over the course of 2026. In an April visit, 326 cigarette packets, each of which contained 20 cigarettes, were found as well as 49,
50 gramme hand rolling tobacco pouches. In May, another 340 packets of illegal cigarettes were found on sale together with 49 pouches of hand rolling tobacco. Further licensing breaches were detected at both stores in October.
Inspector Mark Pattinson of Kirklees Police, said: “Action to close both these premises was taken following close work by Kirklees town centre and licensing officers , in collaboration with our force solicitors. “Both of these stores were found to be in repeated breach of their licencing requirements over 2026 and were continuing to sell unlicensed and illegal goods.
“Seizing these items safeguards the public from products which are typically unregulated and untested and can contain dangerous levels of nicotine and other harmful substances. “It is also proven that money raised from illegal tobacco sales can be used to fund organised crime, which is another reason it is important we prevent these products from being circulated on our streets.”
Sergeant George Rawlinson of Kirklees Police, added: “We have already been passed more intelligence about illegal activity in our town centres as a result of these closures, and will now be developing it for future action.
“None of us want to see organised crime in our neighbourhoods and I encourage residents to keep contacting us with any information which can help us disrupt criminal activity and the sale of illegal goods.