No smoke without fire for local shop owner

A local business’s cash has gone up in smoke as it’s handed a £1,650 fine, with the owner having to serve a custodial sentence for possessing over 16,500 illegal cigarettes.

This follows a huge seizure of illicit tobacco and smoking products from Sangit Paan House Ltd by Brent Council's Trading Standard team. The shop’s stock was made a lot lighter as officers also seized 255 packets of counterfeit Benson & Hedges cigarettes.

Mr Thakker, the director of Sangit Paan House Ltd, said that he would buy the cigarettes from students travelling from India at cut rates and resell them in his shop for a profit of 50p or £1 each. The sale of illicit tobacco has serious harmful effects to residents as the product is cheaper and therefore more accessible, allowing for increased consumption of tobacco.

Councillor Harbi Farah, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection, said: 

"I would like to thank Brent’s Trading Standards Team which has worked hard to seize thousands of illegal smoking products, making sure that businesses have a level playing field."

The shop owner and company, which has already been prosecuted three times, pleaded guilty to all charges. Mr Thakker was sentenced at Willesden Magistrates Court to an 8 week custodial sentence suspended for 1 year, 80 hours of unpaid work, and costs of over £1,656.

He also received a two week custodial sentence suspended for 1 year and 80 hours unpaid work, to run concurrently with  the previous sentence for possessing the counterfeit packets of cigarettes. The company was fined £700 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £280.

Mr Thakker has decided to close his shop

If you suspect a business is selling illegal tobacco, please report them to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.