Ross-on-Wye shopkeeper, Karzan Elias, has been fined for selling illegal cigarettes at his Brookend Street store.

Herefordshire Council’s trading standards service, in partnership with West Mercia Police, carried out a joint raid at the Europe Quality Food shop in Ross-on-Wye. This resulted in the arrest of Mr. Karzan Elias.

Officers found a secret compartment of illegal tobacco products hidden behind a magnetised stock room fuse box. Most of the cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco were counterfeit and all the goods had evaded UK duty.

Karzan Elias, trading as Europe Quality Food, pleaded guilty at Hereford Magistrates’ Court on December 16th to selling illegal fake and smuggled tobacco products. He was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £2,900.

Marc Willimont, head of development management and regulation for Herefordshire Council, said: “This year alone Herefordshire Council’s trading standards service has seized nearly half a million illegal cigarettes and will continue to target those criminals involved.”

Mr Willimont added that although all tobacco is harmful, the cheap price of illegal tobacco makes it easier for children to start smoking. He said that fewer people are now prepared to turn a blind eye to this practice and Herefordshire Council will continue to work with its partners to keep the pressure up on those who continue to sell it. He asked anyone with any information on this sort of trade to make a real difference in keeping illegal tobacco off the streets by reporting it them.

If anyone has any information regarding the sale of illegal tobacco within Herefordshire, please contact trading standards on 01432 261761.