A total of six mini-market shops in two coastal towns in Devon have been shut down for selling illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco.
The stores will be closed for three months following a major operation by Devon and Cornwall Police and Heart of the South West Trading Standards.
Officers can apply to have the court orders extended for longer if necessary, said the police force.
Some of the shops had been previously warned about the items they were selling and continued to trade illegally.
It was reported that traders had attempted to conceal illicit items in locations such as the ceiling above a toilet.
The stores subject to closure orders in Torquay are Milano Mini Market on Tor Hill, Cheeto Market on Union Street, International Mini Market, The Mist Market on Fleet Street.
The stores in Paignton are Blueberry Store on Torbay Road and Laz One Shop on Torquay Road.
Trading Standards said the cheapest illegal cigarettes available were sold for around £4.50, with counterfeit hand rolling tobacco sold for between £6 and £10.
Alex Fry operations manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service said: “The sale of illegal tobacco harms children as they are able to buy tobacco for pocket money prices and encourages them to take up the habit, and harms legitimate businesses because they undercut legitimate traders who play by the rules.
Inspector Rob Harvey from Torquay Police said: “This is a fantastic and significant result to get this many commercial premises closed in one go. The action taken reassures the communities of Torbay that we are acting on information reported to us and will not tolerate this illegal behaviour.”The latest action follows the closure of four shops in Torquay in July this year and two shop closures in Exmouth in June.
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