UK police and trading standards shut illegal tobacco shops in Wrexham and Nelson

Closure orders were granted to two convenience stores in Wrexham—Simba’s Shop on King Street and Brook Street Superstore—by Wrexham Magistrates’ Court after investigations by Wrexham Trading Standards and North Wales Police linked the premises to the illegal sale of tobacco and vaping products. The orders prohibit access to the businesses while further inquiries continue, with officials citing connections to organised criminal networks and the risk to young people.

In Nelson, Lancashire, Blackburn Magistrates’ Court issued a closure order for Dyares Mini Mart on Scotland Road following evidence from the Operation Prosper Team and trading standards officers that the shop sold illicit tobacco, non‑duty‑paid goods and prohibited vapes, including to children. Police highlighted the broader links of such activity to human trafficking, money laundering and public‑health concerns. Both cases illustrate coordinated enforcement actions aimed at curbing illegal tobacco trade across England and Wales.