Closure order No.26 obtained for illegal tobacco sales in Wirral
A 26th retail business in Wirral has been issued with a three-month closure order after almost 10,000 illegal cigarettes and unlicensed alcohol were discovered.
Tranmere Convenience Store on Borough Road, Birkenhead, had its doors shut under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The closure order was secured by Wirral Trading Standards and the council's legal services team, working closely with Merseyside Police.
The execution of a search warrant at an address linked to the store resulted in the seizure of 9,440 illegal cigarettes and 2.95kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
When officers served the closure notice, they found four bottles of alcohol behind the counter despite the premises not holding an alcohol licence. An illegal packet of cigarettes was also discovered, along with pre-packed food products that did not have the required UK labelling.
Officers also found the business was not displaying the required A3 tobacco age restriction notice or business name notice.
The illicit products seized had an estimated street value of £3,717 and a potential retail value of £10,679.
Wirral Magistrates' Court was satisfied that nuisance and criminality had occurred at the premises in connection with the supply of illegal tobacco products.
The court imposed the maximum permitted three-month closure order, stating that it was necessary to prevent the identified nuisance and criminality from continuing or recurring at the premises.
Trading Standards is now engaging with the landlord regarding the removal of the tenant.
The action represents the 26th closure order secured in Wirral since the council first used these legislative powers in December 2025.
"I would once again like to commend our Trading Standards team, legal officers and multi-agency partners for taking decisive action to shut down Tranmere Convenience Store - another premises involved in the sale of illegal tobacco products. We will not tolerate these activities in our borough.
"The sale of illicit and counterfeit tobacco and vaping products poses a significant risk to public health. These products are often unregulated, may not have undergone the appropriate checks and can undermine efforts to help people stop smoking.
"This latest closure sends a stark message that we will continue to work with our partners to identify businesses involved in illegal activity and take strong enforcement action where necessary."
Anyone who knows any stores selling illegal tobacco and vapes should contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
