A man from Oldham has been sentenced for selling counterfeit tobacco in Newport.
Haval Amin was given an eight-week custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
His company, Timisoara Ltd, was also fined £30,000 by Newport magistrates court following an investigation by the council’s trading standards team.
Trading standards visited Timisoara on Corporation Road in August 2021, following intelligence gained from previous seizures and a separate illicit tobacco investigation.
During the visit, Amin was served with a closure notice for Timisoara. Around 9,500 suspected illicit cigarettes were seized, along with 300g of illicit hand rolling tobacco.
Following examination, both the majority of the cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were confirmed as counterfeit.
The three-month closure notice was granted on 18 August 2021. Amin then failed to respond to correspondence sent to him by the council or attend an interview. He also failed to attend the first court hearing in November 2022.
Amin did attend Newport magistrates court on 26 January this year, where he pleaded guilty to all six offences against him and the company.
Timisoara was fined £30,000 by the courts, £5,000 for each offence. The company was also ordered to pay £3022 in costs, and a £181 victim surcharge.
Councillor James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, housing and regulation, said: “I’m pleased that the actions of our officers and partners have led to this successful prosecution.
“The sale of illicit tobacco undermines key tobacco control measures and fund criminal activity in our communities.
“We will continue to pursue those who participate in this crime and urge anyone with information about sales of illicit tobacco in the city to report it.”
