A WYE Valley vape shop has been shut down for three months after a raid by trading standards and police discovered suspected counterfeit cigarettes.

The raid took place amid a nationwide crackdown on high street businesses – often vape shops, mini-marts and Turkish-style barbers – suspected of being fronts for international crime gangs.

After complaints from the public, investigations led by Herefordshire trading standards officers and West Mercia Police uncovered the sale of illegal tobacco from the vape shop in Brookend Street, Ross-on-Wye.

West Mercia Police confirmed: “The Ross-on-Wye Safer Neighbourhood Team, assisted Trading Standards at a visit to the Ross Vape Shop at which counterfeit cigarettes were located.

“Counterfeit cigarettes can be lethal. They also cost UK taxpayers millions of pounds of lost revenue each year. We will not tolerate such practices in the area and will continue to take robust action to protect our community.”

Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards have now obtained a closure order on the property at Hereford Magistrates Court under the terms of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The order issued to property owner Lyndon Cartwright and business owner Majeed Faraj on April 9, states: “The court has found that on the balance of probabilities in relation to the Ross Vape Shop in Brookend Street in Ross that a person has engaged or is likely to engage in disorderly offensive or criminal behaviour on the premises or that the use of the premises has resulted, or is likely to result in serious nuisance to members of the public.

“And that the order is necessary to prevent the behaviour or nuisance or disorder from continuing, recurring or occurring.”

The order closes the premises and access to it is prohibited until July 8.

Detective Inspector Dan Fenn, from West Mercia Police’s economic crime team, said: “Organised crime groups are opportunistic and exploit legitimate businesses, such as vape shops and barbershops, to hide their illegal cash flow. The high cash turnover of these businesses makes them ideal for disguising illicit activities.

“Our work with various bodies sends a clear message to these crime networks: we will not tolerate criminal activity in our communities.

“Some of the information used to plan these raids came from public tip-offs. That local support is invaluable, and we encourage anyone with information about businesses involved in money laundering to report it.”

Our efforts to combat economic crime fall under Operation Target, which focuses on four key areas:

• Pursue – Prosecuting and disrupting those involved in serious organised crime.

• Prevent – Stopping individuals from becoming involved in organised crime.

• Protect – Strengthening defences against organised crime threats.

• Prepare – Reducing the impact of organised crime when it occurs.

It’s not the first time a closure order has been placed on a town centre shop in Ross, as after repeated trading standards infringements, the Mini Market in Broad Street was forcibly closed following the execution of a court order last August.

Anyone with information regarding the sale of illegal tobacco or vape products is asked to report this directly to trading standards or via police online reporting forms.