A Boston town centre shop has been ordered to close for three months after Trading Standards officers discovered shopping bags filled with illegal cigarettes across the floor of a back room.
PoundPlus, on West Street in Boston, was one of three Lincolnshire premises handed the maximum three-month closure order by Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 9 September, following action by Lincolnshire Trading Standards.
Officers said illegal tobacco products were discovered at the Boston premises during a raid carried out following intelligence received from members of the public.
According to Trading Standards, shopping bags containing illegal cigarettes were found strewn across the floor of a back room at the West Street shop.
The closure forms part of an ongoing crackdown by Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Lincolnshire Police targeting the sale of illegal tobacco across the county.
Two other shops, in Louth and Skegness, were also ordered to close for three months as part of the latest enforcement action.
At 28 Aswell Street in Louth, officers had to cut a lock from a door before discovering illegal cigarettes stored behind it, while at Easy Shop & Vape Shop on Lumley Road in Skegness, illegal cigarettes were reportedly concealed behind a tiled wall.
Since January 2024, a total of 147 closure orders have been served in connection with illegal tobacco offences across Lincolnshire.
Trading Standards says that since 1 April 2026 alone, officers have seized 490,360 illegal cigarettes, 6,450 50g packs of hand-rolling tobacco and 811 disposable vapes across the county.
Cllr Alex McGonigle, executive councillor for community safety, welcomed the latest court action.
“This is a brilliant result that will immediately disrupt the sale of illegal tobacco in these communities.
“It’s important to remember that the illegal tobacco trade is not a victimless crime; in Lincolnshire we’ve seen lives devastated and homes gutted by illegal cigarettes that did not properly extinguish.
“Add in the links these shops have to other serious criminal activity, and their detrimental impact on law-abiding businesses, and it becomes clear just how damaging these products really are.
“These closure orders send a clear message: if you choose to sell illegal products and put profit before people’s safety, we will act and we will shut your premises down.”
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Jacky Evans said the orders demonstrated the results of partnership working between police, local authorities and communities.
“Our relentless focus on tackling crime and preventing harm on our high streets is delivering real results. These closure orders are a testament to the strength of partnership working between local authorities, communities, and other agencies.
“They also demonstrate our Lincs 2030 transformation programme in action, taking a proactive approach toward crime prevention and empowering communities to play an active role in keeping people safe.
“We continue to encourage members of the public to share their concerns and information with us, as this helps ensure our resources are targeted where they are needed most.”
Residents with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or associated criminality can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or through the Crimestoppers website.
