A Haslingden shop owner has been fined more than £4,500 after his store sold a vape to an underage teenager, and illicit vapes were found in a secret compartment in store.
Ismael Ahmedi Farzanda, of The Polish Shop on Deardengate in the town, pleaded guilty at Burnley Magistrates Court to the supply of illicit tobacco and vapes after a series of visits by Lancashire County Council’s Trading Standards team uncovered illegal products.
In January this year, the team sent in a 14-year-old test purchaser who was sold an oversized disposable vape.
The team also discovered a the secret compartment (right) behind the counter which contained 85 packets of cigarettes and five pouches of hand rolling tobacco in branded, non-standardised packaging. It also held 60 oversized, non-compliant vapes, similar to the one sold to the test purchaser.
In a follow up visit in June, an officer was sold a packet of 20 Richmond cigarettes in branded, non-standardised packaging for £4 – around a third of the price of a legitimate pack. An inspection resulted in the seizure of 97 similar packs of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco plus 24 oversized vapes.
Burnley Magistrates Court imposed a financial combined penalty of £4513.37 against the firm and Farzanda.
County Councillor Daniel Matchett (left), Reform cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing said: “The law is very clear that under-18s cannot buy cigarettes, tobacco products or vapes.
”By sending in underage test purchasers, our Trading Standards teams are able to identify shops whose staff do not ask for ID and break the law by selling these products to children.
“Our teams will always take the strongest action possible against those who openly break the law. We encourage anyone who has concerns about the sale of any age-restricted products to report these to Trading Standards on 0808 223 1133.”
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