Peterborough shopkeeper fined after admitting selling ‘dangerous products’

Karim Hassan (41) of Wake Road, Peterborough, was caught selling cigarettes which breached a number of regulations at the Europe Shop in Eastfield Road in November and December 2018, and January 2019.

Trading standards teams seized 2840 cigarettes and 600g of hand rolling tobacco in December 2018, and in January 2019 a further 1800 cigarettes were seized.

On Wednesday he appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to seven offences.

The offences included three counts of selling cigarettes which he knew, or should have presumed on the basis of the information in his possession and as a professional, was a dangerous product.’ The items classed as dangerous included cigarettes labelled as Marlboro Gold, PECT and Rothmans.

He also pleaded guilty to selling cigarettes (Mayfair, Marlboro Red and Marlboro Gold) which did not carry a British health warning, but the warning was in a foreign language, and one count of selling cigarettes inin packaging which bore a sign identical to, or which was likely to be mistaken for, a registered trade mark.

Karim was fined a total of £500, and ordered to pay costs of £1,500.

A Peterborough City Council spokesman said Hassan was the owner of the shop but has now sold the business.