A Romford business has been closed for three months after Havering Council’s trading standards teams and police seized in excess of £8,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco this week.
An unannounced morning swoop was carried out on Tuesday 28 July 2026 at RM Mini Market, Fairview Parade, Mawney Road, Romford, by the Council’s trading standards and enforcement teams, together with the Havering Joint Taskforce and Romford Town Centre police teams and sniffer dogs.
Following weeks of investigation as part of Operation CeCe, the raid on the premises saw a large quantity of illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco found, that had a total worth of over £8,000.
To block the business from further selling the illegal goods which pose a big health risk to the public, the Council and Police attended Barkingside Magistrates Court the following day (Wednesday 29 July 2026).
They were successful in securing a closure order of the business for the next three months,
This means the business will remain closed until and including 28 October 2026, while further investigations take place.
Councillor Terry Brown, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, who also attended the raid, said:
“This has been another example of great work by our trading standards team and the police working together to crack down on this crime and help keep our borough safe.
“The stash of cigarettes and rolling tobacco which were not only illegal but posed a huge health risk to our residents, have now been taken off our streets.
“I hope this serves as a warning to other businesses or individuals who think it is ok to sell these illegal products in Havering, it is not.
“We will not tolerate anyone or any business storing and selling dangerous illegal goods in Havering and will continue to crack down on those committing these crimes.
“This raid is part of our ongoing efforts to tackle the sale of illegal and non-compliant products and protect our residents and our legitimate businesses across the borough.”
Inspector Charlie Routley, Havering Safer Neighbourhood Police, said:
“This Closure Order sends a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses operating outside the law and causing harm to our communities.
“This was an intelligence-led operation carried out in partnership with Havering’s trading standards, targeting the sale of illicit tobacco and other criminality linked to these premises.
“Residents consistently tell us they want action taken against businesses involved in illegal activity, and this action demonstrates that we are listening.
“By working closely with our partners, we've not only removed illegal products from circulation but also disrupted criminality and prevented these premises from continuing to operate.
“This should serve as a warning to anyone involved in the sale of illicit tobacco, counterfeit goods or other criminality in Havering.
“If you choose to profit from crime, you should expect a visit from the police and our enforcement partners.
“We will continue to use every power available to protect our communities, support legitimate businesses and make Havering a hostile place for organised crime."