12/08/2022 - Luton shopkeeper in court, charged with selling illicit tobacco

Between 5 July 2021 and 10 February 2022, non-duty paid cigarettes were sold to a test purchaser working on behalf of Trading Standards Officers on 11 occasions. Further examination of 3 of the products sold indicated that some were unsafe as they would not self-extinguish if discarded.

Mr Miah pleaded guilty as director and on behalf of the company to all 14 charges.

The company was fined £100 per offence. Mr Miah, as director of the company, was also fined with a victim surcharge of £140 and costs of £750 each. The total of fines to be repaid is £4580.

Luton Trading Standards is currently investigating and gathering information on the sale of illicit tobacco, shisha and vaping products across Luton.

Councillor Maria Lovell, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety at Luton Council, said “The sale of illicit tobacco evades tax and is unfair to honest traders. Illicit tobacco is also more dangerous than regulated tobacco. Ingredients are unregulated and cigarettes do not extinguish in the same way as regulated products, increasing the risk of house fires.

“The cheaper price also may encourage young people to start smoking and others to continue to smoke. Furthermore, the sale of illicit tobacco also is often linked to other wider organised criminal activity so we must remain vigilant”.

Landlords, whose tenants are engaged in the sale of illicit tobacco, will also be advised and investigated by trading standards in relation to proceeds of crime, where sales continue in a bid to crack down and improve standards of trading within Luton. Businesses can also face closure.

Anyone with information on premises and individuals selling and storing illicit tobacco in Luton can report in confidence here: https://keep-it-out.co.uk/.