More Wiltshire businesses ordered to close following illegal tobacco sales

The three-month closure orders were issued at Swindon Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday 10 April), following the sales of illegal tobacco at Chippenham Mini Market in Chippenham and Vape Shop in Trowbridge. The orders were granted under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act.

Chippenham Mini Market, in Market Place opened in October 2024, selling vapes, e-liquids and other smoking paraphernalia. An undercover Trading Standards officer visited on 25 October 2024 and was sold illegal tobacco, leading to officers visiting again on 6 November 2024 to advise the owner about the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes.

Two days later, officers visited the premises with a tobacco detection dog, where counterfeit tobacco and illegal vapes were found in the shop. Similar products were also discovered in the adjacent Turkish barbers, which belongs to the same owner.  Later the same day, an undercover officer was again able to purchase illegal tobacco.

Vape Shop, formally known as My Sweet Shop, in Wicker Hill, Trowbridge has also been ordered to close. 

In May 2024, the previous owner of the business was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence following the seizure of more than £100,000 of illegal tobacco and cigarettes. The shop then closed, before reopening under new ownership. 

Following the reopening, undercover officers were able to purchase illegal tobacco from the shop in January 2025. In March 2025, officers visited the premises accompanied by a tobacco detection dog and Wiltshire Police. A sophisticated concealment was found by the dog in a storage area above the sink containing 257 packets of cigarettes and 16 pouches of hand rolling tobacco, which were all seized.  

Parvis Khansari, Corporate Director Place at Wiltshire Council, said: Our Trading Standards team is doing an excellent job tackling illegal tobacco sales in Wiltshire and successfully applying for closure orders.

I'd like to thank Wiltshire Police for their assistance in this case and also our colleagues in the Public Health team who helped with the funding for the tobacco detection dogs that we use in the raids.

Illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law and this sort of activity will not be tolerated in Wiltshire.

Only those who are named habitual residents and authorised persons are now permitted to enter both addresses. Anyone else entering the premises is committing a criminal offence and on conviction may be sentenced to 51 weeks imprisonment and/or a fine.