FOLLOWING repeated trading standards infringements, the Mini Market shop in Broad Street in Ross-on-Wye has been forcibly closed following the execution of a court order.

Herefordshire Council obtained the Closure Order under the terms of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, after alleging that the business owners Ako Sobhi Mohammad and Akar Dyer Hassan had been engaged in disorderly, offensive or criminal behaviour at the premises.

The Closure Order, issued by Hereford Magistrates Court on August 20, states that the Mini Market shop should be closed for three months and access to it is prohibited while the order remains in place.

A warning notice in the window states that anybody breaching the terms of the order is committing a criminal offence which is punishable by a maximum of 51 weeks imprisonment and or a fine.

Hereford Magistrates Court heard last week that Trading Standards officials had made four enforcement visits since June 2023 during which 592 illegal vapes, 581 packs of illegal cigarettes, and 5.75 kg of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco being seized.

There had also been two sales of vape devices to children under the age of 18, as well as the sale of two illegal oversize vapes to a Trading Standards operative.

A secret stash of illegal vapes was also found in an outside toilet at the back of shop.

Appearing by video link, the current business owner Akar Dyer Hassan of Gloucester, denied any connection with any of the seized items, but admitted being the owner of the shop premises on that date. 

Magistrates ordered that the shop remain closed until midnight on 19 November 2024, commenting that the issuing of the order was important to protect children of the Ross area, along with the prevention of further crimes.

Hassan was also ordered to pay £1,050 in prosecution costs.

Charles Yarnold, head of regulation and technical services said: “The use of these emergency closure powers by Herefordshire Council, with the assistance of West Mercia Police, is a proven method for successfully tackling this major criminal activity.

“The sale of illegal tobacco, even from a relatively small shop can lead to half-a-million pounds tax evasion per year and some of the illegal vapes seized from this shop contain up to an astonishing 25 times the legal limit of nicotine.

“The imposition of the maximum three months closure shows the courts take such matters extremely seriously.”