Dudley traders hit with hefty costs for possession and sale of illegal tobacco

Trading Standards officers brought three separate prosecutions before Dudley Magistrates' Court.

In the first case Huner Ahmad, of Miller Street, Derby, and Amanj Hasan, of Bentley Street, Derby, both admitted five offences involving the possession of illegal cigarettes and tobacco having no health warnings or UK duty paid.

Magistrates were told 150 packs of cigarettes and 25 packs of hand-rolling tobacco were seized from Eazy Shop, in Brierley Hill High Street, in April 2015.

Trading Standards officers had executed a warrant in conjunction with police.

The court was told most of the haul had been found in a locked safe, which had to be broken open, and some was found in a hole in the wall.

Officials said it had been the fourth time in two years the shop had been found to be dealing in illegal tobacco.

Both men told the court they had only worked at the shop a short time and no longer worked there. Both received a 12-month conditional discharge and were ordered to pay £2,304 costs each with £180 criminal court charges and £15 victim surcharge.

The court was told on the same day, officers had inspected Baba Shaheed, in High Street, Lye and found six sleeves and 11 individual packs of cigarettes, none of which displayed the correct labelling and warnings.

They were also missing UK duty paid labels.

Muhammed Fazal Al Rehman, the owner of the shop, pleaded guilty to three offences and was fined £426 with £1,585 costs, £180 criminal court charges and £20 victim surcharge.

And in the third case, the court was told officers had executed a warrant at domestic premises in Ivy Road, Dudley, and found 237 packs of illegal cigarettes and four packs of illegal hand rolling tobacco intended for sale.

It was hidden behind a cooker and cupboard plinths.

Ronald Anslow and Amanda Lewis both pleaded guilty to three offences involving lack of labelling and health marking of tobacco and possessing criminal property.

Both were given a two year conditional discharge, ordered to pay £1,375 costs each along with £180 criminal court charges and £15 victim surcharge.

Officers said the three cases brought the total prosecuted for illegal tobacco offences by Dudley Trading Standards to 11 in two years resulting in penalties handed down including a suspended prison sentence, community sentences and fines and cost totalling over £20,000.

Councillor Rachel Harris, cabinet member responsible for health on Dudley Council, said: "Selling illegal tobacco is a crime and offenders need to know that they will face consequences if they choose to deal in illegal products.

"We know that the public are less tolerant of these crimes as they impact negatively on health and our community and we would urge the public to report it if you know it is going on in your neighbourhood.

"Cheap cigarettes also make it harder for people to quit and remain smoke free."