Three stores in the North East have been shut down by Sunderland City Council for selling illegal vapes and illicit tobacco. Concord News in Washington, International Mini Market in Houghton-le-Spring, and Hylton Food Store in Sunderland were all closed following court orders.
Court orders granted
South Tyneside Magistrates' Court granted closure notices on Friday, July 31, after applications from the local authority. All three shops had been repeatedly inspected by Trading Standards officers and held stocks of illicit tobacco. During test purchases, they all sold illicit cigarettes.
Magistrates heard that the stores had histories of repeated enforcement action and a lack of engagement and cooperation from staff, or business and property owners. The court also heard that illegal sales raised community and public safety concerns, as trading in illicit tobacco is a major nuisance to the public and legitimate retailers.
Council and police response
Councillor Bill Blackett, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Enforcement at Sunderland City Council, said: "This crackdown is testament to our firm commitment to tackling illegal goods and keeping people safe. Residents deserve to feel confident that the shops on their high streets are operating safely, legally and responsibly. These closure orders send a very clear message that we will not tolerate criminal practices."
He added: "A lot of the background information and intelligence about these shops has come from members of the public. I would remind and urge anyone with concerns about shops and illegal sales to contact their local councillor or the council. The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes fuels organised crime and undermines legitimate local businesses."
Ian Blakemore, Chief Inspector for Communities in Sunderland for Northumbria Police, said: "We know how concerning the sale of illegal products is, that’s why we carry out this work with our partners with the intention of putting an end to it. This type of criminality is often linked to much wider offending and organised crime groups."
He continued: "These closures are only possible due to intelligence the community supplies and the results really represent just how crucial partnership working is in our neighbourhoods. If you do have any information about the supply and sale of suspected illegal tobacco, vapes and cigarettes in your area, please let us know so that we can take action and target the premises who are disrupting our communities."
Details of the closures
Concord News, 5 Arndale House, Victoria Road, Washington, was closed after repeated enforcement action, including seizures of over 200 articles across several visits between 08/07/2023 and 02/07/2026. International Mini Market, 8 Newbottle Street, Houghton-le-Spring, was closed after multiple large seizures of illicit tobacco between 29/08/2022 and 02/07/2026. Hylton Food Store, 201 Hylton Road, Sunderland, was closed after seizures of over 480 articles across three visits between 07/11/2024 and 02/07/2026.
