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On Monday (17 August), we and our partners from Hampshire Trading Standards served a 48-hour closure notice at H&A Mini-Market, High Street, Ringwood.
Yesterday (Wednesday 19 August), Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court granted a full closure order, and the shop must now cease trading until Thursday 19 November.
Under Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, we submitted the closure order application to the court.
It came after officers from Ringwood Neighbourhood Policing Team and Hampshire County Council’s Trading Standards supplied evidence of illegal tobacco and vape sales at the shop in question.
In addition to this, members of the local community have provided information about anti-social behaviour and the shop being frequented by school-aged children.
The application was supported by significant evidence, gathered during a joint-partnership operation which spanned 13 months.
This included three enforcement visits on Friday 4 July 2025, Monday 24 November 2025 and Wednesday 27 May 2026. On each and every occasion, counterfeit or illicit goods were seized.
On the third visit, in May, three packets of tobacco, 11 pouches of non-compliant nicotine and approximately 30 items of food and drink, with non-compliant labelling issues, were all seized.
An associated vehicle, suspected of being linked to the shop, was also searched and found to contain 142 packets of cigarettes (2,840 cigarette sticks) and 11 pouches (50g) of hand-rolled tobacco. These items were also seized.
Ringwood NPT's Local Bobby, PC Ian Bigland said: “This shop has persistently stocked and sold illegal cigarettes and vapes, so we are very pleased to get this closure order in place to prevent further sales of potentially dangerous tobacco and vape products.
“Profits from criminal enterprises are often linked to organised crime groups. So, by taking them off the streets, we’re able to protect our communities from unregulated products, whilst also disrupting a wider network of criminal activity that can include the exploitation of vulnerable people.
“I’d like to thank members of the public who reported concerns to us. The information we receive in the form of intelligence really does make a difference in our investigations and I’d encourage anyone with concerns about businesses that may be operating illegally to contact us.”
To report concerns of counterfeit goods, please contact Trading Standards on 01962 833620, or email tsadvice@hants.gov.uk
To report concerns of businesses engaging in illegal activity, or to log non-urgent crimes happening in your area, please call 101, or report online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website, below;
How to tell us about an existing case or report | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111, or via Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers 
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