A shop in Liverpool has been closed for the third time in less than three years after it was repeatedly caught selling illicit vapes and cigarettes.
The premises, situated on 242 County Road, has been passed between three owners since the end of 2023, with each issued a closure order following investigations by Liverpool City Council.
Originally trading as Local Extra Mini Market, the premises was first forced to close for six weeks on 30 November 2023.
A council investigation uncovered illicit vapes and cigarettes hidden in professionally installed wall and ceiling concealments. The store was ordered to close for three months and fined £600.
The shop then changed hands but continued to trade under the same name. However, a further investigation found illicit products were still being sold, and the premises was ordered to close for three months on 17 May 2024, with the new owners fined £2,200 in costs.
Less than two years later, the premises has been forced to close for a third time. Despite new owners and a name change to American Candy, the shop was again found to be illegally selling vapes and cigarettes to members of the public.
On 5 February, the new owners were ordered to close the premises for a further three months and pay £1,988 to the council.
It marks the first time in Liverpool that a single premises has been closed on three separate occasions following investigations by Public Protection Enforcement officers, the council said.
Councillor Harry Doyle of Liverpool Council said: “Vapes can play a genuine role in helping people quit smoking, but only when they meet strict safety standards.
“What we’ve seen at this premises is the deliberate sale of unregulated, potentially dangerous products that put residents at risk. “Closing this shop for a third time shows that we will not hesitate to act against businesses that ignore the law and undermine public health.”
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