Luton Borough Council

09/01/2025 - Sale of illegal cigarettes on Facebook

Following an investigation by Luton Trading Standards, Faizan Nabi, aged 32 of Chatteris Close, Luton, has been prosecuted for selling counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes and tobacco on Facebook Marketplace.

Mr Nabi appeared at Luton Magistrates on 7 December 2024. The court heard that sales of counterfeit cigarettes had taken place to a test purchaser in 2023. A warrant was executed at Mr Nabi’s home address whereby 530 packets of cigarettes and 119 packets of hand rolling tobacco were found and seized -they had a market value of approximately £12,000.

For the four trademark offences, he was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with a requirement to undertake 150 hours unpaid work. For a product safety offence, a fine of £392 was imposed, with a victim surcharge of £157 and prosecution costs of £1,000, totalling £1,549. For one charge, there was no separate penalty.

Luton Trading Standards have launched a campaign to investigate and prosecute those who sell illicit cigarettes and are continuing to clamp down on the sale of illegal vapes and tobacco.

Councillor Maria Lovell MBE, Portfolio Holder for Trading Standards, said: “Not only does the sale of illicit tobacco evade tax and is unfair to honest traders, but illicit tobacco is 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 people to start or continue to smoke. The sale of illicit tobacco also is often linked to other wider organised criminal activity."

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said: “The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law. Having removed 46 million illegal cigarettes, 12,600kg of hand rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale, Operation CeCe, the National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC, continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.”

Anyone with information on premises and individuals selling and storing illicit tobacco, shisha and vape pens in Luton either from a shop, online or from a domestic premises or vehicle can report it in confidence.

ENDS