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£2,000 penalty for selling counterfeit cigarettes (8 August 2016)

Date: 08/08/2016

Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, £2,000 penalty for selling counterfeit cigarettes

Peterborough City Council has prosecuted a retailer for selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco.

On Wednesday, 3 August 2016 at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court, Mohammedin Akbari – of Euromix Food Store, 256 Lincoln Road in Peterborough – pleaded guilty to nine charges.

The offences included the sale of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco, as well as incorrect labelling which did not conform to UK standards.

Akbari was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £900 costs and a £100 victim surcharge for the trademark offence.

The charges follow a Trading Standards and Cambridgeshire Police seizure on 14 January 2016 involving 6,730 cigarettes and 1.45kg of hand rolling tobacco.

On 16 March, a joint operation between Trading Standards, HMRC and Cambridgeshire Police led to a further seizure of 12,660 cigarettes, 9.55kg of hand rolling tobacco and 208 packets of chewing tobacco.

On both occasions the Amber Leaf and Mayfair cigarettes were confirmed as counterfeit.

Trading Standards officer for Peterborough City Council, Karen Woods, said:

“The tobacco and cigarettes being sold by this man were counterfeit – but were being offered as a genuine product, which is an offence.

“In addition, the packets did not have the correct labelling required by law.

”I hope this latest successful prosecution will act as a warning to other traders selling counterfeit goods in our city that we will do everything in our power to protect the safety and rights of our residents.”

Duncan Lewis Criminal Lawyers

Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers can advise at any stage of a public protection offence, including charges involving selling counterfeit goods, selling illicit alcohol or tobacco products, weights and measures issues, mislabelling offences, food hygiene breaches, selling restricted items to minors and breaches of health and safety regulations.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and in most major cities – and Duncan Lewis can advise on police raids and premises inspections by Trading Standards or local authority fraud teams.

For expert legal advice on public protection offences, call Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers on 0333 772 0409.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Solicitors’ 24-Hour Emergency Helpline on 0333 772 0607.