A shop caught selling thousands of pounds worth of illegal alcohol, tobacco and nitrous oxide cannisters for suspected drug use, has been temporarily shut down.

This marks the first closure order of its kind in Greater Manchester and follows a lengthy investigation by trading standards officers assisted by officers from Greater Manchester Police as part of Operation Avro.

Bolton Council had first applied to magistrates for the closure order of Ramiro’s Mini Market on St Helens Road under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.  

Deputy Leader of Bolton council Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: “Closing a business is not an easy task, nor something we do lightly.

“Trading standards officers have worked tirelessly to provide the necessary evidence.

“This business has repeatedly been warned over the sale of illegal goods and nitrous oxide cannisters for recreational drug use and clearly has no regard for the law or the health and wellbeing of our community.

“These goods can be harmful to people’s health, and it is vital we get them off our streets.    

“I urge members of the public to continue reporting such activity so that we can take the necessary action.”

Council officials say that despite several visits from trading standards officers and previous seizures of illegal goods, the shop ignored continued warnings and continued to trade in these items.

On June 17, a closure order was imposed against Ramiro’s which will now be closed for 3 months.

The investigation began in March 2021 when the shop was banned from selling alcohol after illegal tobacco was purchased during an undercover operation.

In November 2021 there was intelligence from local people and businesses that the shop was selling counterfeit alcohol.

The following month a search of the premises resulted in the seizure of more than £5,000 worth of beer and wine as well as eight bottles of vodka.    

In March of this year, more than half a kilo of tobacco and 188 nitrous oxide cannisters, suspected to be sold for psychoactive purposes, were seized from a vehicle connected to the shop.

The shop will now remain closed for three months.