A new operation to crack down on sellers of illegal cigarettes and vapes in Leicestershire is underway.
Both business owners and over-the-counter sellers have been prosecuted by Leicestershire County Council’s Trading Standards team in recent years for the sale of both counterfeit cigarettes and vapes.
Now, under Operation Hind, Trading Standards and Leicestershire Police are ramping up efforts to prosecute people involved in the illegal industry.
The first person prosecuted under the operation has been sentenced at Leicester Crown Court.
Mohammed Nabi of Regent Street, Hinckley, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of selling counterfeit cigarettes and illegal vapes and possession of counterfeit and illegal items in his flat.
Nabi, who was found to be selling the illegal items at Express Mini Market, off Rugby Road, Hinckley was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £500.
His prosecution and sentence is part of the operation’s close working partnership with Trading Standards and Leicestershire Police, which is aiming to target not just the owners of the shops, but also the sellers in the shops who are often complicit in these types of crime.
Another prosecution has been brought forward under Operation Hind and will be tried in the courts over the coming weeks.
Both illegal cigarettes and vapes pose a risk to the public due to not knowing what substances may be mixed in with tobacco or vape fluid.
Previous tests on illegal vapes have found that they can contain high levels of arsenic, lead and formaldehyde.
Numerous shops and sellers in Leicestershire outside of Operation Hind have been prosecuted for similar offences. On Wednesday 5 November, Yousif Aziz of Station Road, Lutterworth, and Euromarket Lutterworth Ltd were sentenced at Leicester Magistrates’ Court after being found to sell illegal vapes.
Aziz was fined £584 and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs, whilst the company was ordered to pay fines totalling £7,000, as well as a victim surcharge of £2,800 and costs of £2,500.
“This is a growing issue in the county and across the country and this shows that we’re taking action to tackle a real problem in our local towns.
“Our brilliant Trading Standards team have started this operation and working with Leicestershire Police, and their expertise means they know how people who sell illegal cigarettes and vapes operate, and the methods they use to try and conceal their crimes and avoid being prosecuted.
“We’ll carry on doing what we can, with the resources we have, to take this issue on and to help rid our streets of illegal vapes and seller.”
Person:Councillor Virge Richichi, cabinet member for regulatory services
“Our ongoing efforts, make it abundantly clear that anyone engaging in this kind of illegal activity in Leicestershire will be prosecuted. A recent case has shown that the courts are prepared to hand down custodial sentences to those who repeatedly commit these offences.
“Tackling this problem is vital, both for protecting public health and safeguarding the local economy. While this is a nationwide issue, Leicestershire’s enforcement response will remain robust and determined.”
Person:Gary Connors, head of regulatory services
Anyone who suspects a business is selling illegal vapes and cigarettes can report it on the Leicestershire Trading Standards webpage.