Sheffield shop faces licence review over illegal cigarette and vape sales
Sheffield City Council will review a shop's off-licence after Trading Standards found and seized illegal cigarettes and vapes.Summary
A Sheffield off-licence, Super Booze on Middlewood Road in Hillsborough shopping centre, faces potential licence revocation after Sheffield Trading Standards discovered and seized counterfeit cigarettes and illegal vapes. Investigations began after a customer complaint in February 2026 about suspiciously cheap Lambert & Butler cigarettes. Inspections on 5 February 2026 uncovered 51 packs of illegal cigarettes, 18 packs of illegal hand-rolling tobacco and 20 illegal vapes hidden under shelving. A further undercover test purchase on 3 March 2026 and inspection on 9 March 2026 led to additional seizures of 51 packs of illegal cigarettes, seven packs of hand-rolling tobacco and 50 illegal disposable vapes. Trading Standards stated the goods are suspected to have been smuggled or illegally imported, harming legitimate retailers and costing taxpayers over £2.5 billion annually in lost revenue. The licence holder, Colette Goode, said she had been off work for six months, was unaware of the issues until notified of the review, had dismissed staff for misconduct and resumed direct oversight to ensure compliance.
(Source：The Star)
