Two businesses on Midland Road in Bedford have been closed by the council’s Trading Standards team for supplying and distributing illegal tobacco.
The two shops on Midland Road – Frozen Food Plus and Bedford International Express – as well as the adjoining vacant unit on Greyfriars, were served with two-month Closure Orders on 5 August following a joint operation with Bedfordshire Police.
Luton Magistrates’ Court granted the Orders the following day.
This is the seventh Closure Order issued by Bedford Borough Council in the last 18 months.
Closure Orders prohibit any trading at the premises for their duration, and restrict anyone from entering without prior permission from the authorities.
Breaching an Order is a criminal offence, carrying potential penalties of a fine and/or imprisonment for up to 51 weeks.
The Orders could be extended for a further three months should illegal activity continue or is likely to continue upon reopening.
At Luton Magistrates’ Court, the Council shared compelling evidence showing that a group was trading at various premises in Bedford town centre and the wider region.
The group was actively involved in the supply and distribution of illegal tobacco.
Council officers added that, if the vacant unit on Greyfriars was not also served a Closure Order, the group could potentially open it and continue illegal activities from there.
The latest Closure Orders are part of a series of measures including prosecutions, seizures of vehicles, and seizures of illegal tobacco and vapes.
Prior to the Closure Orders being granted, despite repeated interventions by the Council’s Trading Standards, often supported by HMRC and Bedfordshire Police, criminal activity continued.
As recently as during this year’s Bedford River Festival in July, Bedfordshire Police and the Council’s Trading Standards team witnessed illegal cigarettes being purchased inside Bedford International Express, supplied from Frozen Food Plus, following a test purchase in which a vape was illegally sold to an underage 16-year-old volunteer.
Councillor Andrea Spice (Conservative, Wilstead and Wixams), portfolio holder for economic prosperity, planning, housing and regulatory services, said: “Illegal tobacco and vape sales threaten public health, damage legitimate businesses, and are frequently linked to wider criminal activities.
“Bedford Borough Council is fully committed to taking strong, decisive action to protect our community. These Closure Orders clearly demonstrate our determination to maintain a fair and safe trading environment for everyone.”
If you have any concerns about underage sales and illegal tobacco or vape sales, email uas@bedford.gov.uk or tobaccoandvapes@bedford.gov.uk.
