Bensham shop ordered to close after repeated complaints
A Gateshead shop at the centre of repeated complaints about anti-social behaviour and illegal tobacco sales has been ordered to close for three months.
Working with Northumbria Police as part of Operation Vienna, Trading Standards officers secured a closure order on the Ali Baba Shop on Coatsworth Road. The application for the closure order was made after numerous complaints were received about the sale of illegal tobacco. On two occasions in the past two months, large seizures were made when officers visited the premises with a tobacco detection dog that was able to identify sophisticated hiding places for the unregulated products.
Local residents had also raised concerns about anti-social behaviour caused by people loitering outside the shop, which many found intimidating.
Gateshead Council made the application under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 14 December. The order was granted and will remain in place until 14 March 2023.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Chair of the Community Safety Board, said: "This closure order sends a strong message to businesses who refuse to co-operate with authorities when it comes to making Gateshead a better place to live. Illegal tobacco sales are harmful to our communities in a number of ways - from making smoking more accessible to children, to funding drug supply chains and other serious organised crime.
Everyone should feel safe in their local area. We will continue to work with our policing partners to act on information from the public and we won't hesitate to take action against businesses where necessary."
Inspector Kevin Ashurst, of Northumbria Police, said: "We hope that this outcome serves as a warning that businesses must operate within the law. It is simply not acceptable for communities to put up with criminality taking place in their area.
Operation Vienna continues to yield successful results through our partnership working and we would again encourage members of the public to contact us if they see anything suspicious which could help us take action."
If you suspect illegal tobacco is being sold in your area, all you need to do is visit the Keep It Out website (opens new window) or call 0300 999 0000. It's quick, easy and completely anonymous.
A Gateshead shop at the centre of repeated complaints about anti-social behaviour and illegal tobacco sales has been ordered to close for three months.
Working with Northumbria Police as part of Operation Vienna, Trading Standards officers secured a closure order on the Ali Baba Shop on Coatsworth Road. The application for the closure order was made after numerous complaints were received about the sale of illegal tobacco. On two occasions in the past two months, large seizures were made when officers visited the premises with a tobacco detection dog that was able to identify sophisticated hiding places for the unregulated products.
Local residents had also raised concerns about anti-social behaviour caused by people loitering outside the shop, which many found intimidating.
Gateshead Council made the application under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 14 December. The order was granted and will remain in place until 14 March 2023.
Councillor Angela Douglas, Chair of the Community Safety Board, said: "This closure order sends a strong message to businesses who refuse to co-operate with authorities when it comes to making Gateshead a better place to live. Illegal tobacco sales are harmful to our communities in a number of ways - from making smoking more accessible to children, to funding drug supply chains and other serious organised crime.
Everyone should feel safe in their local area. We will continue to work with our policing partners to act on information from the public and we won't hesitate to take action against businesses where necessary."
Inspector Kevin Ashurst, of Northumbria Police, said: "We hope that this outcome serves as a warning that businesses must operate within the law. It is simply not acceptable for communities to put up with criminality taking place in their area.
Operation Vienna continues to yield successful results through our partnership working and we would again encourage members of the public to contact us if they see anything suspicious which could help us take action."
If you suspect illegal tobacco is being sold in your area, all you need to do is visit the Keep It Out website (opens new window) or call 0300 999 0000. It's quick, easy and completely anonymous.
