Wakefield city centre shop closed down by police due to 'illegal activity'

Tyskie, on Kirkgate, was given a three month closure order under the Anti Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, at Bradford Magistrates Court.

The operations uncovered breaches of the Licensing Act which contributed to incidents of Anti Social Behaviour and the sale of counterfeit and illegal tobacco.

Wakefield District Licencing team has been working closely with partners from Trading Standards and Wakefield Council’s Anti Social Behaviour Unit over the last two years to tackle to illegal sales of tobacco.

PS Mark Thorgold from Wakefield District Licencing team said: "We have tried to work with the premises over the last couple of years but it has repeatedly been caught in criminal activity.

"We had no other option other than to issue the closure notice and pursue the closure order at court.

"This closure order should send a positive message to all shopkeepers across Wakefield District, we take this issue seriously and we will target those who continue to flout the law."

Coun Maureen Cummings, Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Poverty at Wakefield Council, said: ‘We have been working very closely with partners to help tackle illegal sales of tobacco.

"This closure order sends out a very clear message that illegal activity of any kind in our district will never be tolerated."