A FORMER company director who sold counterfeit cigarettes out of a convenience store has been told to do 100 hours’ unpaid work

Burnley magistrates heard how trading standards officers visited the Famous Shop, in Yorkshire Street, Burnley on November 2, 2016, as part of an investigation into the sale of illicit cigarettes.

Prosecuting, Nick McNamara said: “The defendant, Dana Ala, was present in the shop that day. In all officers found and seized 63 packs of illicit cigarette and hand-rolling tobacco products, most of which were behind the counter. Mr Ala was informed what had been found and why they were being seized.

“Of the 63 packs seized, half were counterfeit copies bearing registered trade marks like Regal and Mayfair. Thirty-two of the products seized were in non-compliant packaging in terms of displaying health warnings in English.”

When officers returned two weeks later to speak to Ala, they saw a male shop assistant selling packs of illicit Richmond cigarettes to customers. A search of the store resulted in the seizure of five more packets of Richmond and a pouch of Golden Virginia hand-rolling tobacco.

When interviewed in January 2017 Ala told officers that all the packs were for his own personal use and that he had no intention of selling them

During a test purchase the following month, a trading standards volunteer was sold a counterfeit Mayfair branded cigarettes for £3.50 - a third of the price of a genuine packet. They were also offered counterfeit Amber Leaf hand-rolling tobacco for half the price of a genuine packet.

On February 9, 2017, another inspection was carried out when 49 improperly labelled packs of tobacco and cigarettes were seized. Among these were more packs of counterfeit Richmond and Mayfair cigarettes.

Mr McNamara said: “Just three days later and Ala was at it again. This time 23 packs were found about the stockroom, some hidden behind skirting boards and others stuffed up a chimney. Again, packs of counterfeit Mayfair and Richmond cigarettes featured.”

On October 27, 2017, a pack of hand-rolling tobacco was sold for just £12.50 during another test purchase.

Defending, John Rusius told magistrates his client’s instructions were that the test purchases had taken place at the hands of employees, without his knowledge, but that Ala accepted responsibility for them in his capacity as owner of the business.

Famous Shop Ltd pleaded guilty to 15 offences in connection with the sale and possession of illicit tobacco products on six separate occasions between November 2016 and October 2017.

As the sole director, Ala, 34, of High Street, Heckmondwike, pleaded guilty to consenting or conniving in the company’s offending.

He was given a 12-month community order, told to pay £2,000 costs , an £85 victim surcharge,

The company, which is now under new ownership, was fined £5.