Monton shop shut down after selling counterfeit tobacco and illegal vapes

Adam Mini Market, on Monton Road, was served a Notice of Intent to close the premises after continuously selling counterfeit tobacco and illegal vapes.

After complaints from the public, Salford City Council’s Trading Standards team carried out test purchases at the shop and found counterfeit tobacco was being sold. The team then seized 2,545 counterfeit cigarettes, 250g of hand rolling tobacco and 158 non-compliant vapes. 

A few weeks later, the team conducted a further test purchase and found the shop was still selling counterfeit cigarettes, despite the seizure and warning. This led to another seizure of 1,160 counterfeit cigarettes, 400g of hand rolling tobacco and 85 non-compliant vapes and the council’s Environment Protection team served a Notice of Intent to close the premises. The council worked closely with the landlord, who evicted the tenant within 48 hours and closed the shop down.

Councillor Barbara Bentham, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community Safety said “We won’t stand for this in Salford. Our Trading Standards team are very proactive in stopping the sale of counterfeit tobacco and illegal vapes and won’t hesitate to take action where necessary. I encourage anybody who has concerns about a shop to report it, as this allows us to investigate and put a stop to these types of outlets appearing on our high streets and blighting our communities.”

In 2024, the council’s Trading Standards team seized a total of 746,000 cigarettes and 18.7kg of hand rolling tobacco. 

Salford was also recently named as the area with the third highest number of seized illegal vapes from 2022 to 2024. The local authorities with higher numbers were border points who had additional funding to deal with vapes coming in from abroad. (Hillingdon, home of Heathrow Airport and Kent, home of Dover Port). 

Information on anyone selling illegal goods can be reported, anonymously, via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. You can also report any concerns, anonymously, by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.