Adam’s Smoke Shop was one of three local outlets served with a closure notice following a trading standards sting

Two people in hi vis and a police officer standing outside a shop — Adam’s Smoke Shop has been close following a raid by Barnet Council trading standards – (Credit – Barnet Council)

An Edgware shop has been shut down after Barnet Council trading standards officers found it was storing illicit cigarettes under its floor using a “sophisticated hydraulic lift”.

The council says Adam’s Smoke Shop on the A5 High Street is one of three outlets that received closure notices after a day of raids by officers at the end of May.

However, the council’s says illicit products had been from seized the Edgware store four times in one month having previous been sold to undercover officers on on two occasions.

During the raid on 30th May, officers discovered the underfloor lift, smashed through its shelves and seized 1,400 packets of illegal cigarettes, around 1,000 illegal vapes and some shisha tobacco.

Now Adam’s Smoke Shop’s owners have been served with a three-month closure notice, along with Hadley Local in the High Street in High Barnet and Buy To Save Express in Friern Barnet Road, which were also raided on 30th May.

Barnet Council’s leader Barry Rawlings said: “These businesses have shown a total disregard for the law. We caught them trading in illicit goods time and time again. We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour from Barnet’s businesses.

“Our trading standards officers regularly conduct test purchases to ensure the borough’s shops are trading fairly and not dealing in illegal or counterfeit goods. Barnet should be a safe place for everyone and traders should not be making a quick buck at residents’ expense.

“We hope that our actions show the residents and local community that we are dealing with organised crime in an appropriate manner.”

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