A Cradley Heath shop has lost its licence after West Midlands Police showed it sold illegal cigarettes to an undercover child and continued trading in prohibited goods even after being hit with a closure order. Sandwell Council revoked the licence of G&G Market on High Street at a hearing on Thursday 30 July.
The decision means the premises cannot be used for selling goods under the current licence, and any prospective new owner must submit a fresh application to the council if they want to reopen. The shop had only held a licence since November 2025, but trading standards said it was involved in illegal tobacco sales from at least December 2025.
Earlier in July, Dudley magistrates issued a three-month closure order against G&G Market, forcing the business to shut. However, West Midlands Police argued that a temporary suspension would not be sufficient, because after the order ended the same operators could simply resume selling illicit goods.
Undercover operation and repeated seizures
The licensing hearing was told that the shop had shown a "blatant disregard" for the rules and was "completely undeterred" despite several warnings. Law enforcement officers seized large quantities of illegal cigarettes, tobacco products and prescription-only medicine from the premises during the investigation. Crucially, an undercover child was also sold cigarettes, according to West Midlands Police.
The force’s licensing officer asked the hearing: "If they are prepared to sell cigarettes to a child, what else are they prepared to sell?" The officer added: "They have had multiple opportunities to do the right thing and they haven’t. There is no intention to do the right thing."
Council decision and legal impact
The shop’s licence holder, Hozan Sharify, did not attend the hearing. West Midlands Police said the only proportionate step was to revoke the licence completely rather than suspend it. Revocation removes the licence holder’s rights to operate at that address and prevents a simple transfer to another person; the next operator must go through the full licensing process again.
Police highlighted the broader consequences of the illegal tobacco trade. "The sale of illicit tobacco and cigarettes is often linked to organised crime including people trafficking and immigration crime, exploitation, evasion of duty and money laundering," the force said. They also warned: "Additionally, this activity is a threat to public health and safety due to the unknown nature of what is in the products and as is demonstrated in this case, young people and children are also put at risk."
Trading standards report
A report prepared by Sandwell Council’s trading standards team described the scale of the offending. "The premises have been involved in the sale of illegal tobacco products since at least December 2025. The licence was only granted in November," the report said. It also noted that multiple offences regarding the possession and supply of illegal cigarettes had been identified, including supplying to a person under eighteen.
The report concluded that G&G Market was effectively operating as an illegal tobacco outlet. "It is [our] view that the whole setup of the premises – the concealment of illegal cigarettes, the lack of legal cigarettes and the behaviour of the proprietors - all give rise to the conclusion that the main purpose of the premises is the supply of illegal cigarettes and tobacco," the report stated.
Wider crackdown in Cradley Heath
The closure order against G&G Market was the sixth issued to shops in Cradley Heath in recent weeks, following a concerted crackdown by Sandwell Council. Earlier in the month, Cradley Market – also on the High Street – was ordered to close for three months after it was found selling cocaine, cannabis, crystal meth and prescription medicine over the counter.
On Monday 27 July, International Vape on Lower High Street and All Day on Cradley Road were both given three-month closure orders by magistrates. These actions show that the council and police are using closures and licence revocations to disrupt businesses that repeatedly break the law, especially those putting children at risk.
