By the munisha.co.uk local news desk
Two Wigan Borough business owners have been convicted after Trading Standards officers seized illegal vapes from a vehicle in Leigh and illicit cigarettes hidden behind a mirror at a town centre shop.
The cases, detailed by Wigan Council in May 2026, involved 358 illegal vapes linked to Chaudhary Rahman and 226 packs of illicit cigarettes found at Wallgate News in Wigan town centre. Both investigations ended with court penalties after officers said the products had been concealed to avoid detection.
The enforcement action gives residents a clearer picture of how illicit tobacco and vape sales can operate away from shop counters, including storage in vehicles and purpose-built hiding places inside premises.
Main takeaways
- Trading Standards seized 358 illegal vapes from a vehicle linked to Chaudhary Rahman in December 2024.
- Officers later found 226 packs of illicit cigarettes at Wallgate News in May 2025.
- Rahman was ordered to pay a total of £3,065 after a hearing on 14 May 2026.
- Bestun Mohammedi was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £1,686 in fines and costs.
Vapes found in a vehicle in Leigh
The first case followed a Trading Standards investigation and a multi-agency day of action in Leigh in December 2024.
Officers seized 358 illegal vapes from a vehicle belonging to Chaudhary Rahman, who Wigan Council said owns several shops on Railway Road. The council reported that the vehicle was being used to store the illegal vapes and avoid detection.
Rahman’s case was heard at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court on Thursday, 14 May 2026. He was ordered to pay £3,065 in total, made up of a £1,500 fine, a £600 victim surcharge and £965 in associated costs.
The case sits alongside wider North West enforcement against illicit tobacco and vape sales. Similar concealment tactics have been reported elsewhere, including hidden tobacco storage found during Liverpool enforcement action.
Cigarettes hidden behind a mirror at Wallgate News
A separate Trading Standards investigation focused on Wallgate News in Wigan town centre.
In May 2025, officers seized 226 packs of illicit cigarettes from the shop. The cigarettes were found in a purpose-built concealment behind a mirror in a rear storeroom, according to the council.
Bestun Mohammedi was convicted for his role in the offences at Wigan Magistrates Court on Friday, 15 May 2026. He was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £1,686 in fines and associated costs.
For shoppers and nearby businesses, the detail of the Wallgate News case is likely to stand out because the tobacco was not simply kept behind a counter. It was hidden in a fitted concealment, a method Trading Standards teams often associate with attempts to continue selling illegal goods while reducing the chance of seizure.
Why Trading Standards targets illicit products
Wigan Council Trading Standards says it acts on intelligence from partners and the public, working through the borough’s Community Safety Partnership to investigate shops suspected of selling illegal tobacco or vapes.
Illicit tobacco can bypass legal controls on packaging, health warnings and duty. Illegal vapes can also fall outside product safety rules, including limits on tank size, nicotine strength and labelling. For residents, that means cheaper products may carry risks that are not obvious at the point of sale.
Councillor Kevin Anderson, portfolio holder for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies, said the cases showed “the lengths that some business owners will go to in order to sell illicit products and avoid detection”.
He added that the council would continue to investigate and clamp down on those who do not adhere to its standards.
The Wigan cases also echo enforcement seen in other cities, including illegal tobacco and vape raids in Chester, where authorities have used closure powers after major seizures.
How residents can report suspected sales
Trading Standards said it remains committed to tackling high street crime and shops selling illegal goods.
Anyone who wants to report shops selling illegal tobacco or vapes can contact Trading Standards in confidence by email at [email protected] or by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Source: Wigan Council
Source check Source trail
This report is based on Wigan Council’s account of Trading Standards seizures, court dates and penalties.
- Checked the named locations against the council account: Railway Road, Leigh, Wallgate New...
- Matched the seizure figures to the source: 358 illegal vapes and 226 packs of illicit ciga...
- Kept the court dates and penalties visible: 14 May 2026 for Chaudhary Rahman and 15 May 20...
- Separated the two investigations so the vehicle seizure and Wallgate News concealment are...
- Source
- Wigan Council
- Scope
- Wigan Borough
- Updated
- 2026-05-29 12:41
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