Two Gateshead shops ordered to close due to illegal tobacco sales
Two Gateshead shops have been ordered to close for three months for their repeated sale of illegal tobacco.
Gateshead Council's Trading Standards team, working with Northumbria Police as part of Operation Vienna, secured a closure order on Kubus General Dealers on Coatsworth Road, and the International Food Store on Saltwell Road, both in Bensham.
The application for the closure of Kubus General Dealers was made following an inspection by our Trading Standards officers, who with the assistance of a tobacco detection dog and officers from Northumbria Police, uncovered large quantities of illegal tobacco that'd been concealed in sophisticated hiding places around the premises and in cars parked in the vicinity of the shop.
This follows the seizure of illegal tobacco from the same business on five separate occasions over the past five years, with the most recent in December 2022.
The owner of the shop, Ali Ahmed Zada, contested the closure order, but after a hearing in front of the District Judge at Newcastle Magistrates Court, the order was granted.
International Food Store only opened in November last year, but following numerous complaints from members of the public, a site visit was carried out. Although no illicit goods were found in the shop, an individual associated with the sale of illegal tobacco was identified in the premises, and illegal products were found in a nearby car linked to them.
The closure order was initially contested, but the defendants chose not to proceed, and the order was granted.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Chair of the Community Safety Board, said:
"The sale of illegal tobacco products is a serious offence, and the length of the closure orders imposed on these two shops should make it very clear to others engaging in similar criminal activity - we will not tolerate it, and when you are caught we will take action against you to the extent of the law.
"Illegal tobacco sales are very harmful to our communities, they can make smoking more accessible to children, they can also fund drug supply chains and other serious organised crime. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their local area, and we will continue to work with our policing partners to act on intelligence to stop these criminals profiting from their illegal activity."
Inspector Kevin Ashurst, of Northumbria Police, said:
"It is vitally important that as part of Operation Vienna we continue to work with our partners at Gateshead Council and help to take harmful and illegal items out of circulation.
"Some people might not see an issue with buying counterfeit cigarettes or illegal goods, but the truth of the matter is that the sale of these products is re-invested into serious and organised crime.
"By taking away the profits we take away the power and standing these groups hold.
"No-one should have to tolerate criminality in their area and as a Force we will do all we can to tackle it, and act on any information supplied to us."
Both Kubus General Dealers and International Food Store will be closed until midnight on 2 May 2023.
If you suspect illegal tobacco is being sold in your area, all you need to do is visit the Keep It Out website (opens new window) or call 0300 999 0000. It's quick, easy and completely anonymous.
Two Gateshead shops have been ordered to close for three months for their repeated sale of illegal tobacco.
Gateshead Council's Trading Standards team, working with Northumbria Police as part of Operation Vienna, secured a closure order on Kubus General Dealers on Coatsworth Road, and the International Food Store on Saltwell Road, both in Bensham.
The application for the closure of Kubus General Dealers was made following an inspection by our Trading Standards officers, who with the assistance of a tobacco detection dog and officers from Northumbria Police, uncovered large quantities of illegal tobacco that'd been concealed in sophisticated hiding places around the premises and in cars parked in the vicinity of the shop.
This follows the seizure of illegal tobacco from the same business on five separate occasions over the past five years, with the most recent in December 2022.
The owner of the shop, Ali Ahmed Zada, contested the closure order, but after a hearing in front of the District Judge at Newcastle Magistrates Court, the order was granted.
International Food Store only opened in November last year, but following numerous complaints from members of the public, a site visit was carried out. Although no illicit goods were found in the shop, an individual associated with the sale of illegal tobacco was identified in the premises, and illegal products were found in a nearby car linked to them.
The closure order was initially contested, but the defendants chose not to proceed, and the order was granted.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Chair of the Community Safety Board, said:
"The sale of illegal tobacco products is a serious offence, and the length of the closure orders imposed on these two shops should make it very clear to others engaging in similar criminal activity - we will not tolerate it, and when you are caught we will take action against you to the extent of the law.
"Illegal tobacco sales are very harmful to our communities, they can make smoking more accessible to children, they can also fund drug supply chains and other serious organised crime. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their local area, and we will continue to work with our policing partners to act on intelligence to stop these criminals profiting from their illegal activity."
Inspector Kevin Ashurst, of Northumbria Police, said:
"It is vitally important that as part of Operation Vienna we continue to work with our partners at Gateshead Council and help to take harmful and illegal items out of circulation.
"Some people might not see an issue with buying counterfeit cigarettes or illegal goods, but the truth of the matter is that the sale of these products is re-invested into serious and organised crime.
"By taking away the profits we take away the power and standing these groups hold.
"No-one should have to tolerate criminality in their area and as a Force we will do all we can to tackle it, and act on any information supplied to us."
Both Kubus General Dealers and International Food Store will be closed until midnight on 2 May 2023.
If you suspect illegal tobacco is being sold in your area, all you need to do is visit the Keep It Out website (opens new window) or call 0300 999 0000. It's quick, easy and completely anonymous.
