Officers used an electric saw to gain access after staff used bleach to conceal the smell
Officers found illicit items hidden inside Smithdown Road shop counter(Image: Liverpool Council)
A shop on Smithdown Road has been ordered to shut down after officers found illegal vapes, tobacco and Viagra tablets concealed inside a counter. Domino Convenience Store on Smithdown Road used bleach to hide the smell of their illicit cigarettes but in January 2026, when Liverpool City Council’s trading standards visited with a tobacco dog, their stash was revealed.
Staff refused to provide officers access to the counter, who then gained access with an electric saw and found 6,020 illicit cigarettes hidden inside.
There were also 30 pouches of counterfeit tobacco. of approximately 1.5kg in weight, 13 illegal vapes and hundreds of Viagra tablets. The items were seized and the owner of the shop was sent a formal warning.
However, on two separate occasions after the warning was sent, undercover investigators were sold counterfeit cigarettes.
As a result of their illegal activities, the store has now been issued a two-month closure order by Liverpool Magistrates’ Court and must pay back costs of £2,980.
Liverpool ouncil warned unregulated vapes, cigarettes and tobacco could contain banned ingredients and may pose a serious health risk to anyone using them. It shared rules around the sale of vapes in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.
Anyone who believes a shop is selling illicit goods can report it on the council website, or through Crimestoppers.
People can also report a shop they believe is selling age-restricted items to anyone underage on the Council website, or via Trading Standards.
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said: “We are working hard across the city to identify and take action against shops distributing illicit products.
“This sends a clear message that the sale of illicit cigarettes and tobacco will not be tolerated in our communities. Hidden concealments, counterfeit products and repeated offending pose a serious risk to public health and undermine legitimate businesses.
“All businesses know the law and must follow it. Closure orders are a vital tool in disrupting criminal activity, and we will continue to work with the courts to take firm action wherever necessary.”
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