A BRIERLEY Hill shopkeeper who avoided paying more than £10,000 in tax 1,560 packets of illegal tobacco has been spared jail.

Sirwan Mohammed Tarwiq, boss of Palace International Mini Market, was ordered to carry out hundreds of hours of unpaid work after being convicted of 14 offences at a trial at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court last Thursday (October 6).

Dudley Council trading standards officers carried out two inspections with specialist sniffer dogs at the High Street store, uncovering packets of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco which had not had the appropriate customs and excise duty paid on them.

The first inspection took place in November 2015 and the court heard how trading standards officers, accompanied by police and a tobacco sniffer dog, discovered 761 packets of cigarettes and 478 packets of hand rolling tobacco, including five brands which were also found to be counterfeit.

The total duty evaded on the haul, which was found split between a loft room, and locked in a briefcase behind, was about £8,600.

A further inspection in March 2016 revealed 271 packets of illegal cigarettes and 59 packets of illegal hand rolling tobacco hidden in a wall compartment, in a ceiling and in the shop’s store room.

None of the illegal stash – totalling evaded duty of about £2,000 – had the required health markings or had duty paid, with three brands found to be counterfeit.

Mr Tarwiq was found guilty of eight offences under the Trade Marks Act relating to counterfeit products, of four offences under the Consumer Protection Act relating to the lack of health markings and two offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act in respect of possessing criminal property which had evaded duty.

He was given a 12 month community order to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, a six month curfew between 9pm and 7am and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 and a £60 victim surcharge.

All the illegal products seized have been sent to be destroyed.

Councillor Rachel Harris, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Selling illegal tobacco is a crime and offenders need to know that they will face serious consequences if they choose to deal in illegal products.

“While all smoking is harmful, illegal tobacco is sold at low prices and without the necessary health warnings which makes it easier for children and young smokers to get hooked on smoking.

“Cheap cigarettes also make it harder for people to quit and remain smoke free. It also deprives legitimate businesses of revenue and robs the tax payer of money that could be spent on schools and hospitals.”

Dudley Council are urging residents who want to keep illegal tobacco out of their area to inform trading standards on 01384 818871, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.