A Welsh council's crackdown on illegal tobacco being sold in city shops
In the last two years, 25 shops have been closed
Illegal tobacco and vape products have been seized across the city
(Image: PA)
Over two years, 25 shops have been ordered to close as part of a police and council initiative to stop illegal tobacco being sold in Newport.
Operation Firecrest was a joint Newport council and South Wales Police scheme which started in October 2023. It has seen hundreds of thousands of illegal cigarettes seized as well as hand-rolled tobacco and vapes. As part of the crackdown, 25 properties were forced to stop trading via legal closure orders, the council say.
While the closure orders are only temporary, the council say they have been working with landlords to ensure that any tenants are operating legally. The city was recently dubbed the UK's worst for empty shops, something people hit back at.
Over the course of the two year operation, the council say the following were seized:
481,790 illegal cigarettes
199.kg illegal hand-rolled tobacco (equivalent to 199,050 cigarettes)
26,856 illegal disposable vaping devices seized
25 properties were forced to cease trading by legal closure orders
Newport council say that in one shopping area, five premises were previously selling illegal tobacco and vapes and all were taken to court and magistrates issued closure orders.
Two have changed use, one is vacant and another was closed recently. A fifth has reopened but appears to be now trading lawfully, the council say.
In 2023, the council say an operation on Commercial Street saw a "significant amount of products" taken off sale.
Five shops were subject to closer orders and three people were charged with fraudulent trading to which they later pleaded guilty.
Councillor Mark Spencer said: "The illegal trade of tobacco and vapes is harmful to our residents and those communities where it is taking place. We will not tolerate it in our neighbourhoods or our city.
"Closure orders can only be for a limited period which is why the officers have been working with landlords. We are grateful to those who have taken their advice in relation to the type of tenants they have and urge others to be vigilant.
'We would welcome changes in the legislation which would strengthen the action that can be taken against those involved in the illegal trade and the premises they operate from."
Article continues below
The law has recently changed, and it is now illegal for businesses in Wales to sell or supply any single-use or disposable vapes.
All vaping devices must now be both rechargeable and refillable to be legally sold or distributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
a few seconds ago
- Daily Mirror
Showjumper and horse rider GUILTY of forcing underage girl into sex with them
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Guy Simmonds, 37, and Lauren Jarvis, 26, were today convicted of sexual activity with a child after targeting a girl they knew was under the age of 16 A showjumper and horse rider have been found guilty of forcing an underage girl to have sex with them. Guy Simmonds, 37, and Lauren Jarvis, 26, were both found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a child following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. Simmonds was found not guilty of five counts of the same charge. Cardiff Crown Court heard the pair engaged in a "so-called threesome" with the girl. Simmonds had sex with the girl and his co-defendant on the same night while Jarvis "participated willingly" in the incident. It comes after teenage thugs beat rough sleeper to death and laughed as he lay in street. Prosecutor James Hartson said there were "clear elements of grooming" on the part of Simmonds and told jurors that during the course of the trial they would see evidence in the form of text conversations between the defendants where they were "agreeing to a pact of silence" about it. The incident happened in 2024 in Jarvis' home, in the active presence of Jarvis, which Mr Hartson said the 26-year-old had participated "willingly" in, reports Wales Online. Mr Hartson told the jury that it was Simmonds' case that there was no sexual contact between himself and the schoolgirl at any time . He said Simmonds accepted being in a sexual relationship with Jarvis but denied any sexual contact with the complainant. Messages read to the jury showed Simmonds asking Jarvis when he should "pop over" for sex and Jarvis agreeing that it was "absolutely fine" with her. In a later message Simmonds checks whether the girl is there yet. "I don't want to turn up at the same time that her mum drops her off," he said. In further messages Simmonds, who ran a riding school in the Welsh village of undy, said in a text to Jarvis: "If anyone asks for sake of both of us nothing ever happened that night xx." Jarvis said in response: "Hey, who's she told? Oh god has she really, what's she trying to do, make our lives hell? Of course I will xx." Simmonds said messages with Jarvis about the encounter were 'banter and a wind up'. But a jury returned guilty verdicts in respect of both defendants in relation to one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child. Simmonds, of Acacia Avenue, Undy, Monmouthshire, was remanded in custody, and Jarvis, of Allt-Yr-Yn Court, Newport, was remanded on bail by Judge Lucy Crowther to appear for sentencing on September 29.
Glasgow Times
30 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Ion Iliescu, Romania's first freely elected post-revolution leader, dies at 95
Mr Iliescu, who held de facto military authority during the anti-communist revolt, assumed power after Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena were executed on December 25 1989. More than 1,100 people died during the uprising, 862 of them after Mr Iliescu had seized power. He repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Twice re-elected, in 1992 and 2000, Mr Iliescu had largely withdrawn from public life by 2017. In recent years, his health had declined. In 2019, he underwent heart surgery, and he was diagnosed with lung cancer in June. The hospital in the capital, Bucharest, where Mr Iliescu had been receiving medical treatment since June 9, said on Tuesday that he died at 3.55pm local time after medics 'made all efforts to provide him the necessary care and treatment'. Romania's government also confirmed his death and extended its condolences to his family and those close to the former president. It added that it would announce plans for a state funeral soon. The late Queen Elizabeth with Ion Iliescu at Buckingham Palace in 2004 (John Stillwell/PA) In a statement on its official website, Romania's Social Democratic Party, or PSD, which Mr Iliescu founded, called it 'a very sad day for Romania'. 'A prominent figure of the Romanian Revolution and the history of contemporary Romania, Mr President Ion Iliescu will remain for all of us a symbol of the politician and statesman,' the statement read. 'He had the courage to confront Ceausescu and his dictatorship, and directed Romania irreversibly on the Euro-Atlantic path.' 'He was a strong leader, loved by most, contested by others, as happens in democracy,' it added. In 2018, military prosecutors charged Mr Iliescu with crimes against humanity for failing to prevent 'numerous situations' in which civilians were needlessly killed during the revolution. Prosecutors alleged he had spread false information through state media, creating a 'generalised psychosis' that fuelled chaos and bloodshed. The charges against Mr Iliescu, who served as a minister in the communist government until he was sidelined in 1971, refer to a five-day period during the uprising, after Ceausescu had fled Bucharest on December 22 1989. At the time of Mr Iliescu's death, he had never been convicted, and the case remained open. In January this year, Mr Iliescu's legal woes mounted when prosecutors charged him with crimes against humanity in a second case. Prosecutors allege he implemented policies that led to a violent crackdown on civilian protesters in Bucharest in 1990, who were demanding the removal of former communists from power. Ion Iliescu and his wife Nina in 2003 (Vadim Ghirda/AP) Mr Iliescu had called on coal miners from the Jiu Valley to 'restore order' in the capital. At least four people were killed. Despite maintaining good relations with the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991, Romania became a member of the Nato military alliance in 2004 during his last presidential term. After his last term ended, he served as a politician in the Social Democratic Party, Romania's most dominant political party since communism ended 35 years ago. Dominic Fritz, president of the governing coalition partner Save Romania Union party, said in a post on Facebook that Mr Iliescu's passing 'is painful not because of his departure, but because it leaves us with so many open wounds'. 'Many are still waiting for justice,' he said. 'And Ion Iliescu took with him answers to questions that still plague society.' For two decades after the revolution, Mr Iliescu was Romania's most consequential political figure who helped define the country's new democratic institutions and its constitution, said Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant. 'His legacy spans from the one to oust Ceausescu to being himself a break in Romania's development and transition to full functioning democracy and market economy,' he told The Associated Press. 'He was later accused by a growing number of Romanians of being the continuator of the Communist apparatus … trying to hold on to power in an authoritarian-communist style.' After Nicusor Dan's victory in Romania's tense presidential rerun in May, Mr Iliescu congratulated the new pro-Western leader in a blog post, noting that Romania 'is going through a complex period' and faces economic, social, and geopolitical challenges. 'Romania needs coherence, dialogue and a firm commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and its European path,' he said. 'I am convinced that you will exercise this responsibility with dignity and a sense of duty to the nation.' Mr Dan described the late former president on Tuesday as 'the central figure of the 1990s transition' and said that 'history will judge Ion Iliescu'. 'It's our duty to clarify the major cases of that era, so we can move forward with accountability,' he said.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey granted conditional bail
The Ghanaian midfielder, 32, has been charged with five counts of rape against two women, as well as a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022, when he was an Arsenal player. Court artist drawing of Thomas Partey in the dock at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Partey stood with his arms behind his back in the dock at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, wearing a black zip-neck jumper. The footballer, who gave his address as Potters Bar, showed no reaction as the charges were read out and was not asked to enter any pleas. The alleged offences include incidents of anal rape, the court heard. His bail conditions include that he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel. It comes amid reports that Partey is set to join Spanish club Villarreal. As bail conditions were discussed in court, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: 'I understand he's no longer employed in this country and playing in Spain now.' Thomas Partey left Arsenal when his contract expired at the end of June (PA) Partey is due to appear at the Old Bailey on September 2. He was charged four days after leaving Arsenal when his contract expired at the end of June A spokeswoman for Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence said they were 'profoundly disappointed' in the north London club for their handling of the matter. Speaking outside court, Honor Barber told the PA news agency: 'We never wanted to be in a situation where the club that we love and the club that has values that we believe in was playing, week-in week-out, a player who is now facing court appearances on six counts of sexual violence. 'We protested outside almost every home game last season because we wanted to disrupt the wall of silence that the club has put up around this issue, and we did that because we want to support our club and feel happy and comfortable supporting our club.' Members of the group held a banner which read 'Arsenal said: 'We do the right thing' then did nothing'. People from Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence held a banner outside the court (Yui Mok/PA) Barber said the group wanted Arsenal to publish their sexual violence policies, 'suspend anyone under investigation for sexual offences' and 'properly support the survivors'. The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022. Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire previously said he 'denies all the charges against him', adding he welcomed 'the opportunity to finally clear his name'. He joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45million. The defensive midfielder signed for the Spanish club in 2012 and made 188 appearances, as well as going out on loan to Mallorca and Leganes. He played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals. Partey has also made more than 50 appearances for Ghana including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: 'The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.'
