Two Aylesbury shops ordered to close for selling illegal vapes and tobacco

Bucks Council has also said that one shop in Aylesbury regularly sold alcohol and vapes to underage children.

Following an investigation from the authority, Red Power in Aylesbury was served a three-month closure order. Stoke Convenience Store in Stoke Road has received a one-month closure order at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court on Tuesday (3 December).

Officers from Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards proved that the two Aylesbury stores, as well as Smokey World, in Castle Street, High Wycombe, were selling illegal vapes, counterfeit cigarettes and illegal tobacco. Representatives of the authority went undercover to purchase the illegal items.

Bucks Council has revealed that tobacco detection dogs were also used to prove the three Bucks businesses were breaking the law. Stoke Convenience Store was also caught selling both regular vapes and alcohol to underage shoppers, a court heard.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 all three businesses could be fined or individuals may be arrested if they breach their orders. The High Wycombe store was also ordered to close for three months in November.

Councillor Mark Winn said: “These are brilliant result for the council and for the residents of Buckinghamshire. Counterfeit goods like these are a menace to our society and undermine the interests of law-abiding retailers who do not compete on a level playing field. They have no regard for the impact their illegal activity has on legitimate local businesses trying to make an honest living. Equally, selling alcohol and even legal vapes to those who are underage is against the law and we will crack down on those who seek to ignore the law in this respect.

“Let this be a warning, such criminality will not be tolerated in Buckinghamshire. Our Trading Standards officers proactively assess compliance and will use all appropriate sanctions available to them to stop unscrupulous retailers from flouting the law.”

Bucks Council is advising people with information relating to illegal tobacco or the sale of tobacco to young people under the age of 18 to report it to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or via email.