On Friday 27 February the owner of Boss Mart 4, which was formally operating out of premises on Stratford Road in Shirley, was fined almost £7,000.
In his absence at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Mr D Kharoty of Ferguson Road, Oldbury was sentenced for selling illegal vapes and ordered to pay £1,100, plus a victim surcharge of £440 and £5,189 towards costs, totalling £6,749.
Solihull Council seized the illegal vapes during raids of the premises in 2024.
Boss Mart 4 ceased trading from the premises in October 2025 but it was subsequently occupied by another company, operating under the name Boss Mart 3 until this weekend (28 February/1 March).
The company (Boss Mart 3) has closed following notice given to all interested parties, that the Council would be applying to the court for a Closure Order of the premises.
This was in response to repeated reports from the local community about anti-social behaviour, alleged sale of illegal tobacco and vapes, plus the alleged sale of age-restricted products to children. Solihull Council and West Midlands Police seized a large amount of illegal tobacco and cigarettes from the premises on 4 February 2026.
Councillor Wazma Qais, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “This is fantastic news and a significant achievement following months of hard work by Regulatory Services. We hope it sends a strong message to businesses operating illegally that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Solihull.”
If people have concerns about illegal sales or anti-social behaviour in their area, please do report them via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or to West Midlands Police on 101 or Live Chat.