A shopkeeper has pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit tobacco and has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of community work.
Allen Ahmadi, 31, proprietor of Wawel Polish shop, 5 Eastgate, Taunton, admitted selling counterfeit tobacco without the legal health warnings at Taunton Magistrates Court on Monday (October 10).
The court heard that when our officers from the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service – which covers Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay – paid him a visit in December 2021, they searched the shop and discovered 1561 packets of cigarettes and 70 pouches of hand rolling tobacco concealed under the floor, with an estimated sell-on value of £10,800.
Coffee beans and garlic had been laid over the tobacco in a failed attempt to mask the scent from the tobacco detection dog.
The Magistrate said that it was ‘a very serious offence’ but acknowledged Ahmadi’s guilty plea and that that this was his first offence.
Ahmadi was given a Community Order and ordered to pay costs of £400 and a £95 victim surcharge.
Alex Fry, Operations Manager for Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service said
“This illegal tobacco was hidden in a concealment and attempts had been made to prevent detection dogs from finding it. However, that didn’t work, and we are pleased we managed to remove it from supply and take action against the seller. Trading Standards will continue to keep seizing illicit tobacco and take robust enforcement action against rogue traders.”