A store in Wigan has been fined £11,280 for offences relating to illicit tobacco and vapes.
Bry’s Mini Market was forced to close for three months following an investigation by Wigan Council’s Trading Standards team
Working in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, Trading Standards seized 579 packets of illicit cigarettes and tobacco from the Bradshawgate shop in July 2024, along with 367 packs of illicit cigarettes and tobacco and 72 non-compliant vapes in September 2025
At a hearing at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court in September, Hiddayat Ahmad, the director of companies trading as Bry’s Mini Market, was served with 300 hours of community service
Pleading guilty to the offences, the limited companies were ordered to pay a total of £11,280 - consisting of a £7k fine, £1.4k in associated costs, and a victim surcharge of £2.8k
Meanwhile, on Monday 5 October 2026, officers from Bolton Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) and the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), supported several multiagency visits alongside partners from Bolton Council Trading Standards and Wagtail detection dog specialists.
The teams visited eight premises including vape shops in and around Bolton Town Centre and seized illegal vapes, illicit cigarettes and tobacco, and counterfeit toys.
A detection dog was on hand to help find hidden compartments concealing illegal commodities. In one premises, a large concealment was discovered behind a wall filled with illicit cigarettes.
Inspector Hibbert, from the Bolton South Neighbourhood Team, said: “Yesterday officers and partners carried out a day of action, as part of Operation Machinize, the ongoing NCA-coordinated project to tackle money laundering and criminal use of cash-intensive high street businesses.
“As a result of this work, Trading Standards officers removed large quantities of harmful substances; illegal vapes, illicit cigarettes, and counterfeit toys that otherwise would have be sold to our local communities and put people at risk.
“Our work does not stop here, and we will continue to protect our communities from the harms of illegal products, while ensuring those involved in this criminality are held accountable.”
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