Dereham vape shop accused of selling to children gets closure order

A shop that police said may have sold illegal vapes to children as young as 11 has been ordered to close.

Norfolk Constabulary said The Green Shop in Dereham was selling vapes containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), illicit tobacco and also nitrous oxide canisters.

The force claimed it was the first closure ruling from the courts for a shop selling illegal vapes in Norfolk.

Norwich Magistrates' Court granted the three-month closure order this week.

The property was visited four times over a seven-month period by Norfolk Trading Standards and police, Norfolk Constabulary said.

Police say thousands of illegal vapes, tobacco, cigarettes, nitrous oxide canisters and THC rolls were seized. The shop also sold strong alcohol while not holding a valid licence to sell any, the force added.

Officers said a man aged in his 20s was arrested after Class C drugs were seized at the address, and on another occasion, police said they discovered a large compartment concealed under the floor filled with illegal products.

The force said it had been told children as young as 11 were sold vapes at the shop.

PC Natalie Cooper said: "The anti-social behaviour attracted by this shop has had a significant negative impact on the local community, and by getting this closure order granted we are able to give some respite to people living in Dereham."

Norfolk County Council's Conservative cabinet member for communities and partnerships, Margaret Dewsbury, said: "Illegal vapes, such as those seized during these visits, pose a public health risk because they often have excessively high levels of nicotine which are over the legal limits, making them highly addictive and harmful to health."

A closure order typically prohibits people accessing the address and the police can apply for an extension to the time period.

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