Cloudy Vape Ltd shut down after repeated illegal tobacco and vape sales
Tuesday, 7 October 2025
This follows an unannounced inspection.
On Friday 26 September 2025, officers from Central Bedfordshire Council’s Trading Standards team, together with Bedfordshire Police Community Policing, Beds Licensing and Specialist K9’s Ltd, carried out an unannounced inspection at Cloudy Vape Ltd, 1A High Street, Leighton Buzzard.
This premises had previously operated as New FONE UK, which was subject to a Closure Order in March 2025. Despite reopening under a new name in June 2025, reports were received within a week that illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes were once again being sold.
Over the following three months, five test purchases were carried out, with illicit cigarettes being sold on each occasion. During an inspection on 26 September, a staff member became violent and attempted to escape, assaulting an officer in the process. The individual was detained at the scene.
During the search, officers found two secret compartments hidden in the kitchen. These were large metal platforms, about the size of a dining table, that could be raised up from the basement using hydraulic lifts. They were being used to hide illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes out of sight.
With the assistance of tobacco detection dog Rookie, officers seized 706 packets of cigarettes, 420 illegal vapes and 70 pouches of illicit tobacco. The estimated street value of the seizure is approximately £16,000.
On Wednesday 1 October, Luton Magistrates’ Court granted a Section 80 Closure Order on the premises, which will remain closed until 1 January 2026. We are also considering further action against the landlord.
Councillor John Baker, Executive Member for Public Protection at Central Bedfordshire Council, said:
This is another example of our Trading Standards team working closely with the police to protect the public from harmful and illegal products. The scale of concealment and repeated offending shows a blatant disregard for the law. Closure Orders such as this send a strong message that we will not tolerate the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes in our communities.
Anyone with information about illegal or counterfeit tobacco products or vapes can report it anonymously.