Latest news with #LincolnshireTradingStandards
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Crackdown on fake vapes sees 68 shops shut down Haul of fake cigarettes is largest in county so far Lincolnshire Trading Standards
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Shopkeeper jailed over haul of fake cigarettes
A shopkeeper who sold illegal cigarettes and vapes in a number of stores has been jailed for three years and eight months. Ismail Amin's shop in Boston, Lincolnshire, was raided in February 2023 and officers uncovered illicit vapes, cigarettes and tobacco worth £3,000, Lincolnshire Trading Standards said. He also committed similar offences in stores he owned in Birmingham and across Derbyshire, in "a network of illegal trade", a spokesperson added. Amin, of Reeves Road, Derby, was also ordered to pay costs of around £20,000 when he was sentenced during a hearing at Derby Crown Court last week. During the raid in Boston, officers said they uncovered a large stash of products in an "electronic hide" disguised as a wall. Andy Wright, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "The products themselves are often dangerous. "Cigarettes which are illegally manufactured rarely comply with fire safety standards and usually lack the self-extinguishing feature of legal ones." He said shops selling "illegal goods contribute to anti-social behaviour and are often a front for other serious criminality such as illegal working". "This was the case here [in Boston], as the person found in charge of the shop had no right to work in the UK." Last month, officers said more than 90,000 illicit cigarettes and 300 vapes were seized from seven shops in Lincolnshire as part of a crackdown. Lincolnshire Police described it as "the biggest retail haul" in the county to date, with more than 40,000 of the cigarettes found at one premise. The goods were seized from shops in Boston, Spalding and Holbeach. 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. Haul of fake cigarettes is largest in county so far Illegal tobacco products seized during raids Sniffer dog helps find illegal tobacco and vapes Shopkeeper sentenced over counterfeit cigarettes HM Courts Service Lincolnshire Trading Standards
BBC News
19-03-2025
- BBC News
Shopkeeper jailed for selling fake cigarettes in three counties
A shopkeeper who sold illegal cigarettes and vapes in a number of stores has been jailed for three years and eight Amin's shop in Boston, Lincolnshire, was raided in February 2023 and officers uncovered illicit vapes, cigarettes and tobacco worth £3,000, Lincolnshire Trading Standards also committed similar offences in stores he owned in Birmingham and across Derbyshire, in "a network of illegal trade", a spokesperson of Reeves Road, Derby, was also ordered to pay costs of around £20,000 when he was sentenced during a hearing at Derby Crown Court last week. 'Often dangerous' During the raid in Boston, officers said they uncovered a large stash of products in an "electronic hide" disguised as a Wright, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "The products themselves are often dangerous."Cigarettes which are illegally manufactured rarely comply with fire safety standards and usually lack the self-extinguishing feature of legal ones."He said shops selling "illegal goods contribute to anti-social behaviour and are often a front for other serious criminality such as illegal working"."This was the case here [in Boston], as the person found in charge of the shop had no right to work in the UK."Last month, officers said more than 90,000 illicit cigarettes and 300 vapes were seized from seven shops in Lincolnshire as part of a Police described it as "the biggest retail haul" in the county to date, with more than 40,000 of the cigarettes found at one goods were seized from shops in Boston, Spalding and 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.
