Liscard shop owner slammed for running a 'shoddy ship'
Crime prevention partners in Wirral have hailed a significant milestone in their ongoing crackdown on the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes with a 20th premises being served with a Closure Order.
At Liverpool Magistrates Court last month, officers from Wirral Council successfully applied for a three-month Closure Order against Liscard Convenience Store after presenting evidence of persistent illegal activity at the premises.
In granting the order, District Judge Hatton described owner Hiwa Karimi as running a “shoddy ship" and said they were “entirely satisfied that criminal activity had taken place that cause serious nuisance to the public”.
The court also ordered Karimi to pay £1,500 in costs.
This latest action is further evidence that our Trading Standards service is absolutely committed to tackling anyone involved in illegal trading, working alongside the police to act on information and intelligence received and liaising closely with our legal team so they can present the strongest case at court.
It is vital that we find and seize these goods to get them off the market and ultimately bring offenders to justice. These cut-price and unregulated products carry additional risks to consumers and are more accessible to underage customers - significantly undermining public health’s efforts around tobacco control and cessation.
I raised a motion on notice to Full Council last week about this topic. The focus was on a crackdown on illegal trading on our high streets, asking Council to publicly reaffirm our commitment to safe communities, strong policing, and a zero tolerance approach to illegal drug activity. One of our requests was for the Trading Standards Team to be supported to develop and expand its work in this area. This work has my total commitment and support.
There are clear links between the illicit trade of cigarettes and wider organised crime and, of course, sales of illegal items have an adverse effect on the profits of other shops who do operate within the laws and regulations.
Action against the business began in January 2025 when a Trading Standards officer carried out a test purchase at the shop on Liscard Road and was sold a packet of duty-free cigarettes for just £5.
A follow-up inspection a week later uncovered 114 illicit or non-compliant oversized vapes, along with eight packets of illicit or counterfeit cigarettes. The owner signed an enforcement undertaking and agreed to the destruction of the seized goods.
Despite this warning, concerns about the premises continued. In February 2026, following reports from members of the public, Merseyside Police officers visited the shop and discovered suspected illegal cigarettes behind the counter, as well as food and drink products carrying foreign-language labels with no English information. Officers also raised concerns that a member of staff may not have been authorised to work in the UK.
Further evidence of illegal activity emerged in June 2026, when Trading Standards carried out a covert test purchase and were sold a packet of counterfeit Lambert & Butler cigarettes for £5. The cigarettes were produced from a member of staff's jacket pocket rather than from a legitimate retail display.
That purchase prompted a further joint inspection by Trading Standards and Merseyside Police on 14 July 2026. During the visit, officers identified additional breaches of legislation, including tobacco products being openly displayed when they should have been concealed from public view.
The evidence gathered over the course of multiple inspections led Wirral Council to apply for a Closure Order. A supporting statement from Merseyside Police highlighted concerns that the criminality and nuisance associated with the premises would continue despite repeated warnings and enforcement action.
The court subsequently granted a three-month Closure Order, making Liscard Convenience Store the 20th premises in Wirral to be subject to the measure as part of the partnership's work to tackle the illegal tobacco and vape trade.
This Closure Order sends a clear message that the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes will not be tolerated in Wirral. Despite repeated interventions and opportunities to comply with the law, this business continued to engage in criminal activity that had a detrimental impact on the local community.
The illicit tobacco and vape trade is far from a victimless crime. It can make harmful and unregulated products more accessible, particularly to young people, undermines legitimate businesses, and is often linked to wider organised criminality.
This result demonstrates the strength of the partnership between Merseyside Police, Wirral Council Trading Standards and our wider enforcement colleagues. By sharing intelligence and taking action against those who repeatedly break the law, we are helping to protect our communities.
I would also encourage residents to continue reporting concerns about the sale of illegal goods. Information from the public plays a vital role in helping us identify offending premises and take action against those who profit from criminal activity.
The illicit tobacco trade undermines years of progress in reducing smoking harm. By removing these illegal products from circulation, we are protecting residents, supporting people to quit smoking and helping to prevent young people from becoming addicted to nicotine.
If any residents knows or has suspicions of illegal activity, they can report it anonymously using Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
