Trader convicted for sale of counterfeit cigarettes

Published: 6 March 2020

Derby City Council Trading Standards has successfully prosecuted Mr Rostam Ali Mohammed for the sale of illicit tobacco from the Barez Minimarket on Princes Street Derby.

On March 13th 2019 officers visited the premises and found three separate concealments containing smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco. In total 8720 cigarettes and 1200g of tobacco was seized.

The business is a limited company Lara Halal Foods Limited and the director is Mr Rostam Ali Mohammed.  He was the only person present in the shop at the time of the visit.

Mr Mohammed pleaded guilty and will was sentenced on Thursday 5th March 2020. Mr Mohammed claimed that he was only aware of one concealment and was unaware if the sale of the products was illegal or not, but did not check. He only had the lease on the shop for two weeks before he was approached to buy the products.

The Bench imposed an 8 week Community Order with condition of a curfew between 7.00pm – 7.00am and for Mr Mohammed to be fitted with a tag. This was reduced from 12 weeks taking in to account his early guilty plea.

He was ordered to pay £500 prosecution costs, and a £85 victim surcharge. A collection order was made with full payment due within 14 days.

The Bench also ordered for the forfeiture and destruction of the seized products.

Councillor Jonathan Smale, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetpride said:

We take the illicit tobacco trade very seriously and I’m very pleased to have taken many more dangerous cigarettes and tobacco products off the shelves. I’d like to thank our Trading Standards team for their hard work and continued success in tracking down those traders who insist on flouting the law and endangering consumers to make a profit.

Business, Crime, Health, Public safety