A shopkeeper has been fined after a Trading Standards raid revealed illegal tobacco stashed behind the counter, hidden in a modified jacket, and stuffed in a holdall in the basement.
Sardar Mohammed, who runs Timisoara convenience store on Ashton Road, Oldham, was hauled before Tameside Magistrates' Court earlier this month after over 22,500 cigarettes were seized from his store in September 2020.
Oldham Council raided the shop with officers from Trading Standards and a trained sniffer dog after members of the public alerted them to illicit tobacco being sold on the premises.
During the raid, 22,557 cigarettes and 100g of rolling tobacco was seized from a number of places, including a concealment behind the counter, an adapted jacket and a holdall in the basement.
In court on June 17, 39-year-old Mohammed, of Vale Drive in Oldham, pleaded guilty to offences under the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 and an offence under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
He was handed an 18 month community order, which required him to complete 30 rehabilitation activity days and carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. Mohammed was also slapped with an order to pay £3,450 of fines and costs, alongside a £95 victim surcharge.
Speaking after the sentencing, Coun Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Thanks to good work by our Trading Standards staff, and tip offs from residents, a large haul of illegal cigarettes has been seized. Illegal tobacco makes it easier for children and young people to buy cigarettes and get hooked on smoking.
"The people making money out of this do not care who they sell to and the illegal tobacco trade has strong links with organised crime. As a council we’d always encourage residents not to smoke as it’s unhealthy and can have long term consequences. However, if people do decide to smoke then they should at least be getting legal products and value for money, not being ripped off with cheap imitations.
“We are working with partners across Greater Manchester to drive down the illegal trade and the market is declining but it still goes on. If you know where cheap tobacco is being sold, often as ‘duty free’, please get in touch. We will take action if we find illegal tobacco for sale.”
Illegal tobacco can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or by going online to the Keep It Out website.
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