GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council’s Trading Standards team is continuing the fight against illegal tobacco with another successful prosecution.

In a case brought by the service, Yarech Kader, owner of General Stores, County Chambers, Gloucester, appeared before Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on the 21st May charged with 23 offences of supplying illegal tobacco products.

The offences took place between June 2014 and February 2015. During this time trading standards officers made 18 undercover purchases, and seized illegal tobacco from the shop on five occasions.

On each occasion the tobacco was discovered in different hiding places; from a hole in the bathroom floor concealed by lino and wood, from a ceiling concealed by a ceiling light, in shelving where a recess had been specifically made, and hidden in the socks of two employees.

Kader entered guilty pleas to all the offences, apologised to the court and said he had sacked the employees responsible and sold the shop at a loss.

However the prosecuting barrister pointed out that Kader had ignored warnings from trading standards officers to stop selling illegal tobacco and that sales had continued by the same employees, indeed on the day of his interview in November 2014 a sale was made to an undercover trading standards employee.

The Magistrates imposed a fine of £19,000 and ordered Kader to pay full costs of £4,773, together with a £120 Victim Surcharge Fee. All the tobacco was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for trading standards said: “We’re committed to continuing our crack down on the sale of illegal tobacco in Gloucestershire. It tempts young people to take up smoking, and not only damages health but harms the public purse by taking business away from honest traders. We’ll always take action whenever we find illegal tobacco.”

Cllr Andrew Gravells, cabinet member for public health and communities said: “Smoking is a serious public health issue and cheap illegal tobacco just makes it even harder to keep our children away from harm. That’s why Gloucestershire County Council’s public health and trading standards teams are working together to help tackle the problem.”