This is the dramatic moment police and council officers have swooped in to shut down two shops in south Liverpool over illegal vape sales. As part of its crackdown on illicit trades across the city, officials from ’s alcohol and tobacco unit (ATU) joined up with members of Merseyside Police to bring the shutters down on two convenience stores in and . The owners of both could face their businesses being shut down for a period of three months.
The ECHO joined the raids on both businesses - including one that had only been open for five months. Since the turn of the year, around 25 stores across Liverpool have been slapped with closure notices over illegal sales with more than £200,000 worth of stock seized. The crackdown has led to items such as being recovered alongside knives, a hammer and a crossbow bolt in a raid on a property in north Liverpool relating to organised crime.
ATU officials alongside the and Garston neighbourhood policing team targeted two businesses on Wednesday afternoon. Michael Hearty and Jenny Davies took the ECHO out on the raids and explained the challenges they face in how businesses attempt to conceal contraband. Michael said: “Some of the concealments are professionally done, we saw one on a magnet release.
They’re making that much money, they’re taking the risk.” Working with the police, the council and officers can employ a number of tactics to uncover hidden goods, including specially trained dogs to find vapes. Michael explained how a.
