Market Drayton shopkeeper guilty of possessing illicit tobacco
A shopkeeper from Market Drayton has been sentenced, after pleading guilty to possessing illicit tobacco and cigarettes at her shop on three separate occasions.
In a prosecution undertaken by Shropshire Council’s public protection team, Elina Pole of Market Drayton appeared before Shrewsbury Magistrates Court on Thursday, where she pleaded guilty to a number of charges relating to three separate seizures of counterfeit, illicit and non-duty-paid cigarettes and tobacco.
The sentence given is four months imprisonment (suspended for 12 months), 200 hours of unpaid work in the community, 2-month curfew requiring her to wear an electronic tag, £1,500 towards costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
As a result of information received from concerned members of the public, in March 2014, officers from the public protection investigations team visited the “Madgalenka” shop, on Shropshire Street, Market Drayton, where they discovered bags beneath the counter containing a variety of illicit tobacco products.
Following this seizure, further intelligence was received and a revisits conducted in June 2014 and July 2014. During these visits public protection officers worked alongside officers from the Market Drayton Police Safer Neighbourhood Team and a specialist tobacco detection dog, whose keen nose helped find the illicit product in the premises.
The illicit product was found hidden in a variety of hidden locations, including a hollowed out wall behind a mirror in a toilet, concealed within crates of lager, within a water butt and in a small cavity cut out from the bottom of the shop counter.
In total, 8,860 illegal cigarettes and 2.5kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized, which will now all be destroyed. In sentencing, the Magistrates commented that what she had done was very serious, that she knew what she was doing was wrong, and the offending was persistent. They advised her she was lucky not to receive an immediate custodial sentence.
Grant Tunnadine, public protection investigations team manager, said:
“I am delighted with the outcome of this case, as the sale of illicit tobacco is a crime that harms communities and legitimate traders alike. The court has clearly recognised the severity of the matters that were presented before them, and this is reflected in the sentence issued. Shropshire Council’s public protection service will not hesitate to target resources and take action against those who knowingly engage in this illegal trade. I hope this case demonstrates that, despite the lengths this individual was prepared to go to conceal this illegal product, we were still able to find and seize it.”
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for public protection, added:
“This is another excellent example of the work undertaken by the public protection investigations team, working in partnership with West Mercia Police. This prosecution should send a strong message to those involved in this illegal trade that this will not be tolerated in Shropshire. Those involved in dealing in illegal tobacco may be encouraging people, including children, to smoke by providing a cheap source. As well as the obvious health concerns that this raises, a lot of legitimate businesses in Shropshire are losing customers to the illegal trade in tobacco.”
