Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

North London newsagent fined more than £6,000 over illegal cigarettes

North London newsagent fined more than £6,000 over illegal cigarettes
iStock image
Getty Images/iStockphoto

A North London newsagent was fined more than £6,000 after sniffer dogs helped uncover 14,000 illegal cigarettes hidden in his shop, stated recent reports.

According to local reports, retailer Mihai Lupes, 58, who ran Bacovia Ltd in Neasden Lane, was found to be selling Romanian-labelled tobacco that didn’t display proper health warnings.


Brent and Harrow Trading Standards visited his shop in July 2021 where, with the help of a sniffer dog, they managed to find 700 packets of dodgy cigarettes. According to Brent Council, these were being sold for £8 a pack, which is roughly £5 less than the retail value.

Lupes, who lived in Brent’s Neasden Lane but has since returned to Romania, was handed a series of fines totalling £6,096. Lupes had previously been prosecuted twice for similar offences, and once for selling alcohol to an underage customer.

Cllr Harbi Farah, lead councillor for safer communities and public protection at Brent Council, said: “Selling illegal tobacco puts people’s lives at risk and can do real damage. I hope this case sets an important example that we will go after heedless law-breakers to protect the public’s health and get illegal tobacco products off the streets.”

According to the council, Lupes has since closed the business, where he said he reported losses of £400,000. The trading standards’ investigation was part of Operation CeCe – a national initiative in partnership with HMRC that aims to tackle illegal tobacco trading at all levels.

The report further added that in 2021, the Brent and Harrow branch, using their sniffer dogs, uncovered almost 90,000 dodgy cigarettes, as well as 4kg of rolling tobacco and 45kg of shisha and smokeless tobacco.

More for you

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.

Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jisp unveils new NPD service

Jisp unveils new NPD service

Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.

The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores
File image of Tesco Express

Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores

Tesco is slashing the price of more than 222 own-brand and branded products in its Express convenience stores.

Essentials including milk, bread, pasta and coffee are included in the lines which have been reduced in price by an average of more than 10 per cent at Tesco Express stores. The retail giant has made more than 2,800 price cuts across stores in recent months. With 2,048 of convenience stores at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, Tesco aims to benefit hundreds of thousands of customers from the cheaper deals.

Keep ReadingShow less
vape and cigarette
Photo: iStock

One in five ex-smokers in England now vape, study finds


Summary
1. One in five people who have successfully quit smoking in England currently vape, with an estimated 2.2 million individuals using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
2. The increase in vaping among ex-smokers is largely driven by the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts, with a rise in vaping uptake among people who had previously quit smoking for many years before taking up vaping.
3. While vaping may be a less harmful option compared to smoking, there are concerns about the potential long-term implications of vaping on relapse risk and nicotine addiction. Further research is needed to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation outcomes.


Keep ReadingShow less
Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform

Independent retailers association Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.

The Budget, labelled by Bira as "devastating" for independent retailers, was met with widespread indignation from Bira members.

Keep ReadingShow less