Lowestoft convenience store owner prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco

A Suffolk shop proprietor has today been prosecuted for selling illicit tobacco following Trading Standards’ continued crackdown on this serious crime.
Published: 27 Jun 2022

Town Mini Market
Mr Ahmed Shokoulty, 36, owner of Town Mini Market, a convenience store on Bevan Street East, Lowestoft, appeared at Ipswich Magistrates Court on the 24th June having been charged with breaching tobacco packaging regulations.

Suffolk Trading Standards received intelligence that Shokoulty was selling illicit tobacco at his store, and subsequently carried out a test purchase, during which illegal tobacco was sold to an undercover operative posing as a customer.

Following the sting, a raid was conducted by Suffolk Trading Standards in September 2021 as part of Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.

This resulted in the seizure of approximately 2,000 cigarettes and more than 7kg of hand rolling tobacco. The tobacco seized did not comply with tobacco packaging regulations and contained health warnings which were not written in English, as well as the packaging itself being of an incorrect colour.

In sentencing, Mr Shokoulty was issued a fine of £5000, £190 surcharge and £3302.50 in costs (£8492.50 total).

Cllr Andrew Reid, cabinet member for Public Health and Public Protection, commented on the sentencing:

I am delighted with today’s prosecution and would like to thank officers from Trading Standards for their continued commitment to ridding Suffolk of illegal tobacco trading. We know that illegal tobacco has been linked to organised crime, with this often acting as a gateway into the drug supply chain and people trafficking, making it far from a victimless offence. Consumers can play their part in stopping this by reporting illegal tobacco – helping keep it off the streets, putting pressure on sellers and sending a clear message that this crime will not be tolerated in Suffolk.

 Those wishing to protect themselves from inadvertently buying illegal tobacco can look out for the following:

  • A lack of health warnings on the packet
  • Unknown brands
  • Prices that look too good to be true
  • Packaging that isn’t plain olive green or contains text that is not in English

Wendy Martin, Director of National Trading Standards, said: 

The trade in illegal tobacco harms local communities and affects honest businesses operating within the law. Having removed 13 million illegal cigarettes, 4,300kg of hand rolling tobacco and almost 110kg of shisha products from sale in the first year of the operation, the National Trading Standards initiative in partnership with HMRC continues to successfully disrupt this illicit trade.

Anyone who suspects the sale of illegal tobacco in Suffolk should report this in confidence to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.