Our Environmental Health team, working alongside Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards and with the support of Staffordshire Police, has secured court action to close two shops in Burntwood for selling illegal cigarettes.
On Wednesday 17 December, officers raided Sankeys Vape in Bridge Cross Road, and American Candy in Water Street. This action followed targeted intelligence-gathering and multi-agency inspections aimed at tackling the sale of illegal tobacco and non-compliant vaping products.
Today (Friday 19 December) Cannock Magistrates’ Court granted a Closure Order for Sankeys Vape for the maximum legal period of three months, with immediate effect. American Candy has been made subject to an interim Closure Order, and the matter will return to court for a decision on Friday 2 January 2026.
Closure Orders are designed to disrupt criminal activity while safeguarding the public.
Councillor Richard Cox, Lichfield District Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Public Protection, said:
“We will not tolerate criminality in our district. Shops selling illegal cigarettes and vapes put public health at risk, damage legitimate businesses and fuel wider criminal activity.
“Wherever these outlets pop up, we will work with our partners to shut them down and use the full force of the law to keep our communities safe.
“Today’s outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of partnership working with Trading Standards and the Police. We encourage residents to report concerns about suspected illicit product sales via the County Council Trading Standards ‘Report it’ web page.”
Anthony Screen, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Resilience at Staffordshire County Council, said:
“This is another great result in our joint efforts to tackle the sale of illicit and illegal goods in Staffordshire.
“By working in partnership, we’ve been able to close two more shops that have been flouting the law. It also sends out a clear message that we do not tolerate crime on our high streets.
“These products not only undermine legitimate businesses but pose serious health risks, especially to young people. The sale of illicit tobacco and vapes is not a victimless crime. It fuels organised criminal networks and undermines the safety of our streets.”
The suspected sale of illegal tobacco products and vapes can be reported at Trading Standards Report It - Staffordshire County Council