Police close shop for selling illegal tobacco

Devon and Cornwall Police said cash and illegal tobacco was seized at Karina Store

A shop has been forced to close for three months after counterfeit tobacco was seized, police said.

Devon and Cornwall Police said officers had worked with Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service to investigate the Karina Store in Honiton.

The force said a 48-hour closure had been issued on 15 July before Plymouth Magistrates' Court granted a full three-month closure two days later.

Craig Amarilli, neighbourhood beat manager for Honiton, said officers had visited the shop twice and seized cash along with a quantity of illicit tobacco.

"I'd like to thank members of the local community who reported concerns about the shop to us," he said.

"This information allowed us to build a detailed intelligence picture, and we were able to take swift action; securing a closure order within just 13 days and preventing further sales of potentially dangerous tobacco and vape products."

Police said the closure came after four other shops - Palace Mini Market, Tower Store and Paignton Express in Paignton and American shop in Torquay - were also issued with closure orders for the same length of time.