An Ilkeston shop worker has been ordered by a court to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work after selling illegal cigarettes. Harem Sadah Qadir appeared before Southern Derbyshire Magistrates on Monday, June 26, to admit to one charge of selling counterfeit cigarettes and four charges of possession of counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco with a view to gain.
The court heard that Qadir committed the offences while working at Ilkeston Mini Market in Market Place, Ilkeston. The shop was being monitored by Derbyshire County Council's trading standards officers from 2019 due to information from members of the public, with test purchases and seizure of goods previously carried out in 2020 involving Qadir.
Qadir, 24, of Norwich Place, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, received two warnings from trading standards following these previous visits to the premises and, after failing to heed warnings, the premises were raided by county council trading standards officers, accompanied by Derbyshire police, in May 2021.
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In the May 2021 raid trading standards officers seized a total of 8,760 illegal cigarettes and 5.55kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco, as well as a total of £8,700 cash from Qadir and from a bedroom above the shop. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £3,475 prosecution costs along with a £90 victim surcharge.
Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “Our trading standards officers are working hard to tackle the issue of illegal cigarette and tobacco sales and every successful prosecution goes towards lowering the amount of illegal tobacco available for sale.
“We really appreciate members of the public reporting suspicions and will follow these up, with our work sending a strong message to traders selling illegal tobacco that they will not get away with their actions.
“While we discourage people from smoking, worryingly illegal tobacco makes it easier for children to buy cigarettes due to the lower cost, and the fact that age checks may not be carried out. We also have a duty to protect legitimate traders who are losing out due to these illegal practices.”
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