Trading Standards officers 'wage war' on illegal cigarette sales
Trading Standards officers 'waging war' on illegal sales of counterfeit cigarettes and the sale of vapes to children have successfully led to one trader having to pay out almost £12,000 following court action.
Undercover officers were sold counterfeit Richmond and Lambert and Butler products at St. Albans Convenience Store, 150 St Albans Road in St Annes, and a 15 year old that they sent in to test for underage sales was able to buy two 'Elfbar' e-cigarettes as well.
In August and September, an officer from Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards was able to buy two boxes of counterfeit cigarettes at £5 a packet, one in non-standardised packaging.
On the same day in September, officers carried out an inspection at the shop. They found illicit tobacco in drawers behind the shop counter and in a concealed compartment in the back of a cupboard in the kitchen/storage area. The back of the cupboard slid up to reveal that bricks had been removed to create the storage space.
A total of 112 packets of tobacco consisting of counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were seized.
A couple of weeks later, staff at the shop once again sold a packet of counterfeit cigarettes to an undercover Trading Standards officer. The shop then went on to sell the two Elf bars to an underage volunteer test purchaser in October.
The sole Company Director, Idres Maoloud failed to attend court but had previously responded to interview questions under caution on behalf of the limited company. He said that he didn’t know that the tobacco was illegal and that he had been given them as payment for food and drink items from someone who didn’t have any money. He explained that the tobacco was put in the concealed compartment in the storeroom in case the shop was robbed.
He said that the male who had made the Elf bars sale was not working at the shop, just helping out and that he hadn’t provided him with any training regarding age restricted products.
The majority of the cigarettes proved to be counterfeit, meaning that that there are no controls over what goes into making them or on the levels of harmful substances they can contain.
No representatives for St. Albans Convenience Stores Ltd attended court and the company was found guilty in its absence and fined £10,000.
The magistrates also awarded costs totalling £1,691.69 and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all of the tobacco.
Speaking after the case, County Cllr Michael Green said: "Trading Standards officers are declaring war against shops prepared to sell age-restricted products to young people and will continue to prosecute traders selling smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products.
"Our young people are accessing vapes for pocket money, too easily from some unscrupulous shops not taking their responsibilities seriously, however this significant sentence of £10,000 shows that such illegality is not worth the risk. Our officers are committed to protecting young people from accessing age restricted products and ensuring a level playing field for businesses who trade fairly and honestly.
"I encourage any residents who have concerns that a shop may be selling counterfeit goods or selling products to someone underage to report their suspicions to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133."