Hundreds of illegal cigarettes found at city store

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Trading Standards witnessed one shop worker trying to climb over a wall to escape



A man will have to cough up £1,300 after hundreds of packets of illegal cigarettes and tobacco were found in his store in Coventry.

More than 300 packs were discovered by Trading Standards officers on four separate visits to Moris Eastern European Mini Supermarket in Caludon Road, Stoke.

On one occasion, a shop worker tried to climb over a wall to escape officers, dropping a bag of illegal cigarettes in the process.

The shop’s then owner, Raouf Abdullah, appeared before city magistrates yesterday and pleaded guilty to five offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

Magistrates heard that Trading Standards visited his former store in December last year.

Abdullah, 45, of Thomas King House, Wellington Street, Hillfields, was present when 43 packets of illegal cigarettes were found hidden under a shelf next to the counter.

On a second visit in February this year, officers found a further 69 packets of illegal tobacco in the store room and when they returned in March a shop worker locked himself in a store room and then tried to get away by climbing over a wall, but fell and dropped a bag containing 111 packets of illegal cigarettes.

On a fourth visit in April, a further 94 packets of illegal cigarettes were found.

Abdullah was fined £255 by magistrates and also ordered to pay £1,000 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

He was also given a 12-month community order including 140 hours of unpaid work.

The shop now has new owners.

Speaking afterwards, Mike Lynn, of Coventry Trading Standards, said: “It is clear that some people are determined to carry on this illegal trade, which, if left unchecked, will undermine all the good work to prevent people, and especially children, from smoking.

“Illegal tobacco is sold at pocket money prices by criminals who are not interested in asking for proof of age.”

To report the selling of illegal tobacco call Trading Standards on 03454 04 05 06 or email trading.standards@coventry.gov.uk