SLOUGH Council say they are “disappointed” with the sentence of a business owner after an investigation found counterfeit tobacco on his premises twice in five months.

Trading standards and sniffer dogs found 1,574 illegal tobacco products at Hamza Pan Centre in Park Street on October 22, 2019.

Business owner Humza Shahid, of Hambrough Road, Southall, was interviewed about the find after the council’s trading standards team was tipped off that more were still being sold.

A second search was conducted, and a further 2,143 illegal tobacco products were discovered at the same premises on March 9, 2020.

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In total 1,496 packs of illegal cigarettes, 70 pouches of illegal hand rolling tobacco and 2,151 pouches of illegal smokeless tobacco were seized.

Mr Shahid and company Aymann & Co Limited were each facing 16 charges.

The tobacco offences included having a product with non-English labelling, being counterfeit with no statutory health warnings and non-plain packaging.

Mr Shahid, 29, admitted a total of 32 offences during a hearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 20.

 

Slough Borough Council say there wer disappointed with the businessownerss sentence

Slough Borough Council say there wer "disappointed" with the businessowners's sentence

 

Magistrates handed Mr Shahid a 12-month conditional discharge and he was ordered to pay £500 costs and a victim surcharge of £42.

Dean Cooke, principal trading standards officer, said: “As there was significant evidence to suggest this was not an isolated incident, we were disappointed with the sentence.

“However, if there are no further illegal sales from this premises, this result contributes to the process and it would have been productive.

“The council continues to operate a zero-tolerance policy in respect of illegal sale of tobacco in the borough. We will continue to monitor and act on intelligence regarding these types of products.”

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Cllr Balvinder Bains, cabinet member for regulation and public protection, said: “Any counterfeit products pose a risk to the borough’s residents using them.

“We do not accept them being sold in the borough and they will be discovered resulting in potential criminal records and costs orders.”