Key Points
- Wallasey Shop, located on Brighton Street, is being shut down for the second time in the year.
- More than 2,500 illegally imported cigarettes and about 1kg of hand-rolling tobacco were discovered inside a washing machine.
- The shutting down of the store has been ordered at the Wirral Magistrates’ Court.
- Previously, in April, the store had been shut down and opened under new ownership by Amir Mahmadi.
- Mr Mahmadi has been fined £800 to meet the costs.
- Another Wallasey-based business known as ‘Store 4 You’ has also been ordered to shut down as more than 33,000 illegal cigarettes and 6.5kg hand-rolling tobacco were discovered there.
- It is the 25th closure order since December last year in Wirral.
- A statement released by Wirral Council said that selling of illegally imported tobacco can result in public health hazards.
Wallasey (Liverpool standard) September 30, 2026 — a convenience store on Brighton Street has been shut for three months after officers found thousands of illegal cigarettes and more than 1kg of hand-rolling tobacco concealed inside a washing machine.
The shop has been closed for the second time this year following an application by Wirral Trading Standards and legal services officers. The closure order was granted at Wirral Magistrates’ Court after the court found that criminal activity had taken place at the premises.
The enforcement action followed complaints from members of the public about the alleged sale of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco from the store. Trading Standards officers carried out a test purchase before returning to the premises with police officers.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the officers found 2,500 illegal cigarettes and more than 1kg of hand-rolling tobacco hidden inside a washing machine during the search. Amir Mahmadi, identified in the report as the shop’s sole owner, was ordered to pay £800 in costs.
The store is located close to Wirral Council’s headquarters at Wallasey Town Hall. It had previously been subject to a three-month closure order in April. After that order expired, the shop reopened and the tenancy changed to Mr Mahmadi.
The latest order means that the premises will be unable to trade during the new three-month closure period. The action was taken after the shop allegedly became the subject of further complaints once it had reopened.
Why was the shop searched?
The enforcement operation began after Wirral Trading Standards received reports from members of the public. The complaints concerned the alleged sale of illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco at Wallasey Shop.
Officers first conducted a test purchase involving counterfeit cigarettes. A test purchase is commonly used by enforcement teams to establish whether restricted or illegal goods are being offered for sale before a wider inspection is carried out.
Following the test purchase, Trading Standards officers and police attended the premises. Their search led to the discovery of cigarettes and tobacco concealed in a washing machine rather than displayed openly in the shop.
The findings were then presented during proceedings at Wirral Magistrates’ Court. The court granted the closure order after determining that criminal activity had taken place at the business.
The Liverpool Echo reported that this was the second time in 2026 that Wallasey Shop had received a three-month closure order. The first closure took place in April, and the shop later reopened after the order ended.
What happened at Store 4 You?
A second Wallasey convenience store, Store 4 You on Wallasey Road, was also closed as part of the enforcement action.
The case began with an initial test purchase in June. According to the Liverpool Echo, a counterfeit packet of cigarettes was sold for £5 during that operation.
On September 11, Trading Standards officers and police carried out an enforcement operation at the shop and at the home address of Brwa Salam Mohammed, who was identified as the business owner.
The search at a vehicle resulted in the discovery of more than 11,000 illegal cigarettes and 3.5kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco. Police also found Mr Mohammed carrying three packets of illegal cigarettes when he was searched.
Officers then searched Mr Mohammed’s home address. The report said that a further 22,600 illegal cigarettes and 3kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco were found inside a bed.
Taken together, the discoveries connected with Store 4 You amounted to more than 33,000 illegal cigarettes and 6.5kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco. The items were found across a vehicle, the owner’s clothing and his home address, according to the report.
The closure of Store 4 You formed part of the same wider enforcement effort involving Wirral Trading Standards, police officers and council legal services.
How many closure orders has Wirral issued?
The closure orders involving Wallasey Shop and Store 4 You bring the number issued in the borough since December last year to 24 and 25.
The orders were obtained by Trading Standards and legal services officers through Wirral Magistrates’ Court. They are being used to prevent businesses connected with alleged illegal tobacco sales from continuing to trade.
Wallasey Shop’s second closure is notable because the premises had already been subject to enforcement action earlier in the year. The shop reopened after the original order expired, but further complaints led to another investigation and a new court application.
The latest cases show how enforcement teams are continuing to monitor premises after previous closure orders have ended. They also indicate that information from members of the public can contribute to investigations into alleged illegal sales.
The published report did not state how long Store 4 You would remain closed or provide details of any separate costs imposed in that case. It did, however, detail the quantities of cigarettes and tobacco found during the searches.
What did Wirral Council say?
Councillor Jenny Johnson, chair of Wirral Council’s tourism, communities, culture and leisure committee, said Trading Standards officers and partner agencies were continuing to take action against the illegal sale of tobacco and vape products.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Councillor Johnson said the products were “cut-price and unregulated” and carried additional risks for consumers. She also said they could be more accessible to underage customers and undermine public-health work focused on tobacco control and quitting smoking.
Councillor Johnson described the offences as not being “victimless”. She said illegal tobacco sales could create risks to public health and the environment, while also potentially being linked with organised crime.
She also highlighted the effect on legitimate businesses. According to the report, Councillor Johnson said law-abiding retailers could be financially affected when illegal products were sold at lower prices.
The councillor praised the work of council officers and partner agencies and said Wirral Council was taking “strong, decisive action”. Her comments addressed the wider consequences of illegal tobacco sales rather than only the individual premises involved in the latest closure orders.
What does the enforcement action mean?
The closure orders prevent the affected premises from operating for the period specified by the court. In the case of Wallasey Shop, the order lasts for three months.
The action does not simply concern the seizure of cigarettes and tobacco. It also reflects the use of court-backed powers to stop activity at premises where authorities believe criminal conduct has taken place.
For local residents, the immediate result is that the two shops cannot continue trading under the relevant closure orders. For other retailers, the cases underline the risks associated with selling counterfeit or illicit tobacco products.
The enforcement action also demonstrates the difference between legitimate tobacco retailing and the sale of unregulated goods. Illegal products may not have passed the same checks as lawful products, while counterfeit packaging can make it difficult for consumers to identify what they are buying.
The Liverpool Echo report did not state whether anyone had been convicted of a criminal offence in relation to the cigarettes and tobacco discovered at either business. The information published focused on the closure orders, the court proceedings, the searches and the statements made by Wirral Council.
What is the background to Wirral’s action?
Wirral authorities have been issuing closure orders against premises linked to alleged illegal tobacco and vape sales. The orders involving Wallasey Shop and Store 4 You are the 24th and 25th secured in the borough since December last year.
Wallasey Shop had already been closed in April before reopening after the initial three-month order expired. The business also changed tenant, with Amir Mahmadi later operating the shop. Further public complaints then led to another test purchase and a subsequent search.
The latest case highlights the continuing role of Trading Standards investigations in identifying premises suspected of selling counterfeit cigarettes and illicit hand-rolling tobacco. These investigations can involve public complaints, test purchases, searches and court applications.
The Store 4 You case involved searches at three locations or points connected with the business: the shop, a vehicle and the owner’s home address. Officers found illegal tobacco products in each part of the operation described in the report, including cigarettes inside a bed at the home address.
Wirral Council’s stated concerns include possible effects on public health, access by underage customers, environmental risks, links with organised crime and financial damage to compliant businesses. These concerns were expressed by Councillor Jenny Johnson in comments reported by the Liverpool Echo.
How could the closures affect Wallasey residents and businesses?
The closures are likely to affect customers who used the two shops for convenience purchases, particularly people living or working near Brighton Street and Wallasey Road. Residents will need to use other retailers while the orders remain in force.
The action may also affect the wider local retail market. Law-abiding convenience stores could benefit if customers move to legitimate retailers, although the closures may temporarily reduce the number of nearby shops available to residents.
For people who smoke or use hand-rolling tobacco, the cases reinforce the risk of buying products from unregulated sources. The council’s warning, as reported by the Liverpool Echo, is that such goods may carry additional risks and can undermine efforts to control tobacco use.
The effect on the affected businesses will be more direct. Wallasey Shop will be unable to trade for three months, while its owner has also been ordered to pay £800 in costs. The published report did not provide the financial consequences of the separate Store 4 You closure.
Further enforcement may follow if complaints continue or if officers identify other premises suspected of selling illegal tobacco or vape products. However, any additional action would depend on future investigations and court decisions rather than the present closure orders.
