Shop owner who sold illegal cigarettes fined £12k

The shopfront of Candy Land. It has an orange banner that advertises its name, as well as pictures of various goods including fizzy drinks, crisps and sweets. The shop is in Braintree town centre. Other shops are pictured in the background.Image source, Google
Image caption,

Almost 5,000 counterfeit cigarettes were found hidden inside Candy Land in Braintree town centre

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A shop owner has been fined £12,000 after creating a hidden compartment to stash illegal tobacco products inside.

Saman Abdulqader was found hiding almost 5,000 counterfeit cigarettes at Candy Land in Braintree town centre in January 2021.

An Essex Trading Standards investigation found the 47-year-old continued to sell illicit goods, serving undercover officers on further occasions after the raid.

Abdulqader admitted eight offences of aiding or abetting possession of goods with a false trade mark for sale and was sentenced to an 18-month community order.

The fine was issued at Chelmsford Crown Court and directed to Argon En Ltd, a company the defendant, of Silver Band Close, Boxted, owned.

Mark Durham, a Conservative councillor at Essex County Council, said the sentence "sends a message" to people thinking of trading illegally.

Cigarette boxes and tobacco pouches stashed under a shop counter, stored on wooden shelves.Image source, Essex Trading Standards
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Trading Standards carried out test purchases at the shop in 2021 and 2022 - after it was initially raided

A detection dog helped to locate a "sophisticated and electromagnetic" device when Trading Standards raided the shop, in Bank Street.

The device was then used to reveal the compartment concealed within the shop counter.

Trading Standards said 5,980 cigarettes and 1.75kg (3lb 13oz) of hand rolling tobacco were either seized that day or later obtained in test purchases.

Durham, the council's cabinet member for the arts, heritage and culture, said: "This dangerous trade has clear links to organised crime.

"It not only blights communities by driving up crime and anti-social behaviour, it also puts people's health at risk while damaging legitimate businesses."

During his sentencing on Tuesday, Abdulqader was told he must complete a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and abide by a curfew between 17:00 and 07:00 for 12 months.

An order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the illegal goods.

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