Yahoo News Hereford shop owner in court for selling illegal tobacco
THE owner of a Hereford shop has been in court for selling illegal tobacco.
Iulian Alexandru Mirica, 34, of Folly Lane in Hereford, is listed on Companies House as the director of Bucharest Magazin Limited which is registered at Eign Gate.
On March 19 he pleaded guilty to one count of supplying a tobacco product with a unit pack not carrying a combined health warning, one count of supplying a tobacco product in breach of packaging regulations, and one count of possessing goods with a false trade mark for sale.
The case was brought to Hereford Magistrates' Court by Herefordshire Council's trading standards service.
Mirica was handed a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and up to 15 days of rehabilitation activity. He must also pay costs of £1,114.
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He was found to be in possession for sale of 497 packets of cigarettes and 12 pouches of hand-rolling tobacco, none of which complied with UK law. A large amount of the products were also found to be counterfeit.
The products were found by officers inside a commercial fan unit operated by electromagnetics and a hydraulic ram built into a partition wall, both purpose-built concealments.
The illegal products at the shop were hidden (Image: Herefordshire Council)
Herefordshire Council's head of regulatory and technical services Charles Yarnold said: "This case demonstrates the commitment by the trading standards officers in tackling illegal tobacco sellers in the county.
"The products sold are often counterfeit and do not meet safety standards.
"It is imperative that we help support local, legitimate businesses, by tackling criminals."
