30/11/2022 - Owner of Eastern European Supermarket in court for selling illicit tobacco

He was given a 12 month community order with one requirement to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £1,210, which included a financial penalty of £80 and Victim surcharge of £95.

Mr Darwesh was originally due to attend court on 4 April but failed to show, resulting in a bench warrant to ensure he attended the sentencing. 

Councillor Maria Lovell, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety at Luton Council, said “This is the latest successful prosecution in our ongoing work find those selling illegal products in our town. Luton Trading Standards have been gathering information on the sale of illicit tobacco, shisha and vaping products across Luton, and have seized thousands of non-compliant products to keep residents safe.

Illicit tobacco is more dangerous; the ingredients are unregulated and cigarettes do not extinguish in the same way as regulated products, increasing the risk of house fires. The sale of illicit tobacco is also often linked to other wider organised criminal activity, evades tax and is unfair to honest traders. We will not hesitate to prosecute those selling these products as a result.”

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 on the Keep It Out website.