Three convenience stores in Wirral have been ordered to close for three months after Trading Standards uncovered illegal tobacco, illicit vapes and other non-compliant products during a series of enforcement operations.
The closure orders were granted by magistrates on 25 June, bringing the total number secured by Wirral Council's Trading Standards team since December to 19. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, further closure orders are planned.
At Kings Convenience Store on King Street, Wallasey, a test purchase in August found cigarettes with no UK duty paid being sold. A subsequent inspection in December uncovered 3,220 counterfeit cigarettes hidden in a sophisticated concealment within a storeroom.
Officers also discovered single-use vapes, which have been illegal to sell or supply since June 2025, beneath the shop counter.
Kings Convenience Store, King Street, Wallasey.oto: Wirral Council via LDRS
At Rake Lane Local in Wallasey, Trading Standards officers purchased a counterfeit pack of Lambert & Butler cigarettes during a test purchase in October. A later inspection in November resulted in the seizure of 2,860 cigarettes and 0.7kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
When the premises were closed earlier this month, officers also found genuine tobacco products on open display in breach of tobacco display legislation, as well as 30 soft drinks that did not comply with UK food labelling requirements.
Meanwhile, Church Road Corner Shop in Tranmere was found to have repeatedly sold counterfeit cigarettes during test purchases. Trading Standards officers bought Lambert & Butler Original Silver cigarettes for £5 on two occasions in September, while a November inspection uncovered 960 counterfeit cigarettes.
A further test purchase in May found Richmond cigarettes being sold for £5. During the closure operation, officers also found 40 imported soft drinks that failed to meet UK food labelling requirements and vape pods being sold without the legally required health warnings.
Magistrates concluded that a three-month closure order was necessary for each of the premises.
The latest enforcement action forms part of Wirral Council's ongoing crackdown on the illegal tobacco and vape trade, with Trading Standards continuing to target retailers found selling illicit or non-compliant products.
(Reporting by Andrew Spence, of Local Democracy Reporting Service)