A Pembrokeshire-based convenience store owner has been handed a prison sentence for selling illegal tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, stated recent reports.
The 38-year-old, from Grove Road in Eastbourne, was found guilty of two counts of breaching the Trade Marks Act and five counts of supplying tobacco in non-standardised packaging.
The court heard how in July 2019, specially trained tobacco detection dog gave an indication of the presence of tobacco in the shop during a raid. During a second inspection a week later, hand rolling tobacco and cigarettes were found from that very spot in the shop and more tobacco products were found in a cardboard box behind it.
Trading Standards revisited the store in August and found two pouches of illegal hand rolling tobacco. In September, following a further inspection, a quantity of illegal cigarettes was discovered hidden in a hole in the wall behind the till.
Andy Clooney, East Sussex Trading Standards team manager, said that this conviction is another warning to those involved in the sale of counterfeit tobacco that we are committed to finding and prosecuting those who persist in this illegal activity.
“We take the supply of illegal tobacco very seriously and will do everything in our power to tackle this problem and protect our residents," reports quoted Clooney as saying.
