Middlesbrough Council has shut down a supermarket on Gresham Road in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, after finding thousands of illegal cigarettes and vapes during several raids. This closure aims to stop the sale of dangerous goods and protect the community from illegal trading.
On February 18, 2026, Teesside Magistrates Court granted a three-month closure order against Euro Supermarket. The business, which also goes by the legal name Smart Mini Market (NE Ltd), must stop all operations until the order ends.
The legal action followed an inspection on January 22, 2026, where council officers seized 560 cigarettes and 42 illegal vapes from the shop. A second search on February 15, 2026, uncovered a larger stash including 6,240 cigarettes and 1.5kg of hand-rolling tobacco.
During the court hearing, officials explained that the shop had a history of selling illegal tobacco and had been found employing illegal workers. This specific location was previously involved in a major seizure of more than 17,180 cigarettes in 2019.
Councillor Ian Blades noted that the trade in illegal tobacco brings crime into the area and harms public health. Judith Hedgley, the council’s head of public protection, said that the authorities are focusing on removing traders who do not follow the law from local streets.
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