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The illegal sales keep on coming, as three more Wirral shops have been handed closure orders after investigations found thousands of counterfeit and illegal cigarettes, and lots of hand-rolled tobacco.
According to the Wirral Globe, the closure orders were granted at Wirral Magistrates’ Court under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The closure orders are related to:
Liscard Shop and Vape on Seaview Road, Wallasey
C and A Convenience Store on Seaview Road
Wallasey, and 7 Days on Old Chester Road, Birkenhead
The orders on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd were secured by Wirral Trading Standards since December 2025.
Trading Standards officers started with Liscard Shop and Vape. Members of the public complained, and a test purchase found that counterfeit cigarettes were being sold.
In a July inspection, officers found 15 packets of illegal and counterfeit cigarettes and 0.2kg of hand-rolling tobacco hidden inside a bin bag at the shop.
Police came to the premises, and a vehicle key located inside the shop led officers to a goldmine. They discovered a further 4,880 illicit cigarette sticks and 2.7kg of hand-rolling tobacco inside.
For the shop, Wirral Council obtained a three-month closure order, and the court also issued a forfeiture and destruction order for the illicit tobacco.
Aram Anwar Darwesh is the food business operator and owner of the shop. But the vehicle at the shop was registered to Sharwan Faxi Omar.
Another July inspection at C and A Convenience Store was prompted by a test purchase of illegal cigarettes beforehand.
From here, officers seized 9,180 cigarette sticks and 4.45kg of hand-rolling tobacco. They were hidden inside a remote-controlled hydraulic compartment.
An inspection the month after found tobacco products openly displayed at the premises. A mandatory warning notice stating that tobacco products must not be sold to under-18s was obscured and was not displayed in the required format.
Owner Shahreyar Hassani did not contest the closure notice in court and admitted the incident was a “big mistake”.
At 7 Days in Birkenhead, a test purchase of counterfeit and illicit cigarettes in June led to an inspection the following month.
A vehicle key found with a member of staff led officers to a car containing 2,680 counterfeit cigarette sticks and 1.45kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
Trading Standards officers returned in August to serve the closure order and carried out yet another inspection. An employee of the shop reportedly tried to hide a vehicle key.
As you would've guessed, officers took the key to the vehicle, where they found 1,760 illegal cigarette sticks and 0.8kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
Nahro Khezri, the business's sole owner and tenant of the commercial premises, did not contest the closure order.
Councillor Jenny Johnson, chair of Wirral Council's tourism, communities, culture and leisure committee, said the council's Trading Standards team was continuing to take action against businesses involved in the illegal sale of tobacco and vapes.
She said: “We are determined to quash all businesses who undermine tobacco control efforts.”
Councillor Johnson added that the operation demonstrated the benefits of different agencies working together, including immigration officers, HMRC, police and Trading Standards.
The council said illegal tobacco and disposable vapes can particularly affect young people, who may be attracted to cheap, brightly packaged and unregulated products.
Wirral chief inspector Colin Dyer said: “These Closure Orders are further examples of the close partnership working happening on a daily basis, to tackle issues causing harm in our communities.”
He added that information and reports from members of the public played an important role in helping authorities take action.
