Sleaford shop owner jailed over illegal tobacco and vapes
A shop owner has been jailed for six months after pleading guilty to selling counterfeit cigarettes.Police seized thousands of illegal vapes and tobacco in a raid on Karwan Dewari Khatab's store in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.The Fresh Fruit and Grocery shop on Southgate was closed following a court order in 2024, Lincolnshire Trading Standards said.Khatab, 43, was also told to pay £11,700 in costs at Lincoln Crown Court on 29 May.
Trading standards said more than 5,400 illicit cigarettes and vapes were seized, along with 3.45kg of hand-rolling tobacco.Some of the items were hidden in jigsaw boxes.Khatab, of St Giles Road, Derby, committed similar offences at a shop he owned in Cheltenham, trading standards said.Principal trading standards officer Andy Wright said: "Offending at Mr Khatab's Sleaford store was brazen, with a member of staff caught red-handed attempting to sell an illegal vape to an underage child in front of a police officer."These vapes exceeded the legal puff limit by several thousand and can be a dangerous gateway to a lifetime of nicotine addiction."More offences took place at his Cheltenham shop, where counterfeit cigarettes were sold during all 27 test purchases that were made."Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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