Wigan shops fined after illicit vapes and cigarettes found

Two Wigan Borough business owners have been convicted after Trading Standards officers uncovered illegal vapes in a vehicle and illicit cigarettes hidden behind a mirror in a shop storeroom.

The cases involved separate investigations in Leigh and Wigan town centre, with hundreds of products seized and financial penalties imposed at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court in May 2026.

Wigan Council said its Trading Standards team will continue taking enforcement action against shops and business owners found to be breaching the law. The cases add to a wider pattern of local enforcement against unsafe tobacco and vaping products, including underage vape checks elsewhere in England, as national attention also remains on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Illegal vapes found in a vehicle in Leigh

The first case followed a multi-agency day of action in Leigh in December 2024. Officers seized 358 illegal vapes from a vehicle linked to Chaudhary Rahman, who Wigan Council said owns several shops on Railway Road.

According to the council, the vehicle was being used to store the illegal vapes and avoid detection. The case was later heard at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court on Thursday, 14 May 2026.

Rahman was ordered to pay a total of £3,065. That included a £1,500 fine, a £600 victim surcharge and £965 in associated costs.

For residents, the case matters because illegal vapes can bypass the checks applied to legitimate products. Trading Standards teams commonly target products that may breach rules on tank size, nicotine limits, labelling, ingredients or age-restricted sales controls.

Cigarettes hidden behind a mirror at Wallgate News

In a separate investigation, Trading Standards officers seized 226 packs of illicit cigarettes from Wallgate News in Wigan town centre.

The discovery was made in May 2025. Wigan Council said the packs were found in a purpose-built concealment behind a mirror in the rear storeroom.

Bestun Mohammedi was convicted for his role in the offences at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court on Friday, 15 May 2026. He was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £1,686 in fines and associated costs.

Hidden storage areas are a recurring feature in illegal tobacco enforcement because they can allow stock to be kept away from public view and moved quickly if premises are inspected. A similar issue was seen in Liverpool shops using concealed tobacco storage, where enforcement action focused on hidden compartments and sales linked to illicit goods.

Council says concealment will not stop enforcement

Councillor Kevin Anderson, Wigan Council’s portfolio holder for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies, said the cases showed the lengths some business owners would go to in order to sell illicit products and avoid detection.

“These cases highlight the lengths that some business owners will go to in order to sell illicit products and avoid detection, and we will continue to investigate and clamp down on those who do not adhere to our high standards,” he said.

Wigan Council Trading Standards works with partners through the borough’s Community Safety Partnership. The team acts on intelligence from partner agencies and members of the public before carrying out investigations and bringing enforcement action where offences are found.

How residents can report suspected illegal sales

Residents who believe a shop is selling illegal tobacco or vapes can contact Trading Standards in confidence by email at the published contact details. Reports can also be made through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The council said Trading Standards remains committed to tackling high street crime and shops selling illegal goods.

Source: Wigan Council