A SHOPKEEPER who sold thousands of pounds of counterfeit cigarettes in stores across East Lancashire has been jailed for 18 months.

Salim Balesaria, 44, has been warned that if he does not pay back £8,090 within three months he will face a further five months behind bars.

Burnley Crown Court heard Balesaria, of Leeds Road, Nelson, sold 114 packets of counterfeit cigarettes or hand-rolling tobacco and 379 packets of cigarettes or hand-rolling without the required health warnings between July 2016 and August 2016.

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Prosecutor David Traynor said the offences took place at Europa, Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, Eurosta, Railway Street, Nelson, and Sklep Euro, Whalley Road, Accrington.

Mr Traynor said: "It is the prosecution case that the defendant operates a number of shops in the wider Burnley area which are involved in the supply of cigarettes which are counterfeit and/or do not bear the requisite health warnings.

"These shops are not operated openly in the defendant’s name but there is evidence to show his links to them."

The court heard that on June 22, last year, Lancashire Trading Standards, which brought the prosecution, conducted a test purchase exercise at Europa.

An officer found that two packets of red L&M cigarettes and one packet of NZ Gold, which were put through the till as 'news and mags', did not have the required health warnings.

On July 20 Trading Standards carried out an inspection of the store and found tobacco hidden behind other products on the top shelf of a display on the shop floor and also in a stock room at the rear of the shop.

Mr Traynor said an alcohol licence displayed in the shop was in the name of Tasleen Balesaria, the wife of Salim Balesaria.

The court heard that while the inspection was going on shop worker Olga Jankovska received a phone call from a number, which was later traced to Balesaria. When Tranding Standards inspector Michael Craig answered the call the caller hung up.

Mr Traynor said that two days later Mr Craig received a call from the same mobile phone number, where the male caller indicated he was the owner of the business but refused to give his name or further contact details.

Mr Craig returned to the shop at 9.30pm on August 1 and saw Ms Jankovska lock up and leave with an Asian male. They spoke in an alleyway next to a Nissan Micra, which was declared as being off road, and the vehicle keys were later found at Balesaria's house. Balesaria was later seen leaving in a white Hyundai.

On July 13 Trading Standards searched Eurosta in Nelson and found a number of packets of Amber Leaf rolling tobacco and L&M cigarettes hidden on shelves, while at the rear of the premises there was an outhouse and behind a loose breeze block were a number of packets of Pect cigarettes.

On August 17 officers searched Sklep Euro, Accrington and seized a number of illegal products hidden in shelves.

A warrant was served at Balesaria's house in Lammack Road, Blackburn, on August 25.

During the search officers found £6,910 in cash, lease documents, stock invoices and a rates bill.

In the Hyundai were 28 packs of counterfeit Richmond cigarettes, and 88 packs of L&M cigarettes, 24 packs of Marlboro, 25 packs of Gold Classic, four packs of Ruby and two packs of Amber Leaf rolling tobacco - all without health warnings.

In the Micra there were seven packs of Ruby cigarettes, seven packs of L&M, four packs of Gold Classic and three packs of Amber Leaf rolling tobacco - all without health warnings - and two counterfeit packs of Richmond cigarettes.

Speaking after the case Mandie Maxim, trading standards manager, said: "Mr Balesaria has found out for himself how seriously the courts treat trading in smuggled and fake tobacco.

"People ignoring his lesson should not be surprised to find themselves facing lengthy prison sentences as well as action to strip them of their ill-gotten gains."