Trading standards success as man sentenced for illegal tobacco

A man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for 2 years and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work after admitting possessing illegal cigarettes and tobacco with a retail value of over £270,000 at a self-storage facility in South Derbyshire.

Ribin Alani, 38, of Fulmar Lane, Wellingborough, appeared before Derby Crown Court today (Tuesday 2 September), to admit to eight charges of the possession for supply of counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, contrary to the Trade Marks Act 1994, and 3 charges of possession for supply of cigarettes whose external packaging did not carry the required combined health warning contrary to the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

The successful case was brought by our trading standards team.

The court heard that, following information received in June 2024, officers from our trading standards service visited premises in South Derbyshire and seized 363,720 cigarettes and 20kg of tobacco from a container on the site. Subsequent enquiries revealed that the tenant of the unit was Alani.

Our Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Dawn Abbott said: 

“Our trading standards officers are working extremely hard to tackle the issue of illegal cigarette and tobacco sales, and every successful prosecution goes towards lowering the amount of illegal tobacco available for sale.

“We really appreciate members of the public reporting suspicions and will follow these up, with our work sending a strong message to traders selling illegal tobacco that they will not get away with it.

“While we discourage people from smoking, worryingly illegal tobacco makes it easier for children to buy cigarettes due to the lower cost and the fact that age checks may not be carried out. We also have a duty to protect legitimate traders who are losing out due to these illegal practices.”

The 8 counts under the Trade Marks Act 1994 that Alani admitted in court are as follows:

1. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 3400 counterfeit Marlboro Forward cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
2. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 4800 counterfeit Marlboro Update cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
3. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 7600 counterfeit Mayfair cigarettes, contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
4. On 11 June did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 20kg of counterfeit Amber Leaf tobacco contrary to Section 92(1)(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
5. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 100 counterfeit Rothmans cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
6. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 29,200 counterfeit Lambert & Butler cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
7. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain 10,900 counterfeit Superkings cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
8. On 11 June 2024 did have in your possession, with a view to gain, 32,200 counterfeit Richmond cigarettes contrary to section 92(c) of the Trade Marks Act 1994.

The 3 counts under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 that Alani admitted to in court are as follows:

1. On the 11 June 2024 you possessed for supply 67,200 ‘Manchester’ branded cigarettes, whose external packaging did not carry the combined health warning required by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.
2. On the 11 June 2024 you possessed for supply 37,320 ‘Minsk’ branded cigarettes, whose external packaging did not carry the combined health warning required by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.
3. On the 11 June 2024 you possessed for supply 164,340 cigarettes of various brands whose external packaging did not carry the combined health warning required by the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

Alani was sentenced to 16 months for each of the Trade Mark offences and 8 months for each of the Tobacco and Related Products offences, all to run concurrently.

Following the conviction, the court set a timetable in relation to a possible confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime.

People wanting to report any suspicions of the sale of illegal tobacco should report them to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 2231133 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.