Peterlee man ordered to cough up more than £350 after selling bootleg cigarettes

Durham County Council’s Trading Standards team took legal action against Kenneth Allen after he was found to be selling illegal tobacco from his home in Wasdale Close, Peterlee.

Officers went to the address after receiving information from the Keep It Out service, which allows people to report illegal tobacco sales.

In a test purchase at the property, an officer was sold four packs of cigarettes with Richmond branding for £20.

The cigarettes were inspected, and it was found that the packaging did not follow the required standardised format, and did not contain any health warnings or related images, or any serial numbers.

During a search of the address, 65 packs of Richmond-branded cigarettes were seized and later confirmed as counterfeit.

Allen, 62, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing and selling counterfeit goods and one count of possession for supply of cigarettes that did not contain the required combined health warnings.

He was issued with a six-week curfew order and told to pay £250 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

The council also took legal action against James Millican, of Kingswell in Morpeth, for selling illegal products following a test purchase at his shop in Burnopfield.

Millican, 43, also appeared at Peterlee Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to six counts of supplying illegal tobacco and one count of keeping unlawfully imported goods.

He was ordered to pay a £200 fine , £34 victim surcharge, and £845.50 costs.

Owen Cleugh, Durham County Council’s public protection manager, said: “These two separate cases show that the sale of illicit goods is a serious criminal matter, and we will take action against those who are found to be contributing to this illegal market.”

Anyone who believes they may have information on the sale of illicit tobacco can report it anonymously through the Keep It Out hotline: 0300 999 0000 or online at www.keep-it-out.co.uk

Advice about stopping smoking is available from Stop Smoking County Durham by calling 0800 772 0565 or at www.durham.gov.uk/stopsmoking