A Sheffield man has been ordered to pay a fine and costs for selling illegal counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco at a Lincolnshire car boot sale.
During a routine foot patrol of Hemswell Market car boot on 19 December 2021, Lincolnshire Police officers found Nader Kohanzad selling illicit tobacco, including counterfeit cigarettes, incorrectly labelled products, menthol cigarettes (banned in 2020) and hand-rolling tobacco.
Officers seized 2,540 illicit cigarettes and 6.4kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and referred the case to Lincolnshire Trading Standards.
Kohanzad declined to attend three voluntary interviews with Trading Standards.
At Boston Magistrates Court on 11 September 2023, Nader Kohanzad, 74, of Jubilee Road, Darnall, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to illicit tobacco and trademark offences, and possession of criminal property.
He was fined £200, with a £34 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay a contribution to costs of £2,000 – a fine and costs totalling £2,234.
The court also issued a forfeiture order for the seized goods. They will now be destroyed.
Lincolnshire Trading Standards officer, Neil Bartlett, said:
“Nader Kohanzad was brazen about his illicit tobacco selling. Incredibly, next to his stall at the market there were hand-written signs highlighting the savings customers could make versus buying from shops.
“Kohanzad has used at least nine different aliases to try and hide his offending, and has multiple previous convictions, including a previous trademark offence.
“Whatever the marginal cost differences between legal and illegal cigarettes, it is never worth the increased risks these products pose to you and your family, including increased risk of starting a house fire.
“If you choose to smoke, always buy cigarettes or tobacco from reputable shops. If you have details about illicit tobacco being sold in Lincolnshire, please let us know.”
PC Stephen Toyn, Community Beat Manager for Welton and Hemswell, said:
“We continue to work with Trading Standards to prevent the sale and circulation of illicit tobacco in our community. Illicit and counterfeit goods do not meet safety standards and can put lives at risk so I am glad we were able to prevent further sales from being made.”
If you know anything about illegal tobacco products being sold in your community let us know - you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report online at Crimestoppers.
Find support to quit smoking at www.oneyoulincolnshire.org.uk.