Gang Sentenced For Handling 750,000 Illegal Cigarettes And 300kg Of Illegal Tobacco

A shopkeeper, who used a baby monitor and chute to deliver illegal cigarettes on demand to his customers, has today been sentenced for participation in a fraudulent business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In what is believed to be one of the most significant Trading Standards investigation of its type in Wales, Tahar Mohammed, 38 and shop keeper Feryad Mohammed Abdul- Kadir, 33 admitted handling and selling more than £427,000 worth of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Two other men who worked in the shop, Richard Jendrejcak, aged 41 and Burham Karim, aged 37, were also sentenced for their part in the fraud. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Newport City Council’s Trading Standards officers worked with colleagues from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and police to carry out the investigation which began in April 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An inspection of a storage unit owned by Mohammed uncovered more than 225,000 counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes, and more than 112kg of hand rolling tobacco, stored in various containers including cardboard boxes of Lithuanian bread. Trading Standards Officers found the same boxes, with identical batch numbers, at Abdul-Kadir’s shop, Eastern European Food, on Commercial Road in the city centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In June 2015, Trading Standards and HMRC officers discovered more than 500,000 illicit cigarettes and 194.8kg of hand rolling tobacco in a garage at Mohammed’s home address in Bristol. Over £40,000 in cash, hidden under his bed, and bags containing thousands of pounds in coins, were also seized. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In September 2015 Trading Standards and police searched the flat above the shop, also owned by Mohammed and rented by Jendrejcak, and discovered a chute under the floorboards leading directly into the shop’s stockroom. The chute was purposely disguised behind a false wall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A baby monitor, found next to the chute, was used to communicate with colleagues in the shop who were selling the tobacco to customers. Over 13,000 cigarettes and eight kilogrammes of hand rolling tobacco were found in the flat. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All four defendants claimed little or no knowledge of each other; however through in-depth analysis of CCTV footage, phone and bank records, clear links were proven. Even though Mohammed tried to distance himself from the criminal activity, officers proved he attended the shop on an almost daily basis. Trading standards test purchasing operations and CCTV showed that all four men were involved in selling the tobacco in the shop. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In total, nearly three quarters of a million cigarettes and over 300kg of hand rolling tobacco, with an estimated duty and tax evaded of £300,000, were seized. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Bob Poole, Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Functions, said: “This prosecution is a real achievement for all those involved and sends out a very clear message to anyone who thinks they can profit from the sale of counterfeit goods. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have launched a campaign to make our city a ‘Fake Free Newport’ and this case represents just how prolific and profitable these illegal activities can be. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco can be even more harmful than the genuine products – they are not monitored for safety and can contain all manner of ingredients. Those with foreign labelling do not comply with safety regulations and do not provide the consumer with the essential information to make an informed choice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am pleased that custodial sentences have been imposed and we will not hesitate to prosecute anyone dealing in counterfeit goods or services. If you have any information you can call our rogue trading hotline 01633 235233 in confidence.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

John Cooper, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “This gang thought they had a foolproof way of hiding their activity and could profit from selling illegal tobacco, but they are now paying the price for their actions with criminal records and prison sentences. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Tobacco smuggling robs communities of vital public funds and harms the livelihood of legitimate retailers. Disrupting this criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs the UK around £2 billion a year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​