The owner of a Sheffield mini-market who sold illegal tobacco and vapes has been given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
Barzen Mahmood-Poor, 32 of City Road, Sheffield and owner of the Manor Mini-Market, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court after admitting 10 offences relating to the sale of illicit tobacco and illegal vapes.
He had previously admitted to seven offences of supplying counterfeit tobacco, such as cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, one count of supplying tobacco products in breach of health warning regulations, another charge related to suppling tobacco products in breach of packaging regulations and a final charge of supplying oversized vapes.
The case was brought to court by Sheffield City Council trading standards officers following a test purchase in September 2023 when the under-cover officer was sold a pack of Marlboro gold cigarettes from Manor Mini Market and was charged £7.
The cigarette packet was in breach of packaging regulations. In March 2024 and June 2024, this situation was repeated when a test purchaser was able to buy the same illegal products.
In October 2023, this time with South Yorkshire Police present, a quantity of illicit cigarettes was found in the rear storeroom and in a bag outside the back door of the shop.
More illicit tobacco was found on a shelf under the sales counter. In addition to the tobacco products there was a quantity of single use disposable vapes on sale with a tank size that exceeded the maximum permitted 2ml.
All the illicit tobacco and vapes were seized. Information gained during the inspection led officers to visit Alan’s Barbers next door where more illicit vapes and tobacco were found and seized. Police officers gained access to Barzen’s flat where they found and seized a large quantity of illicit cigarettes and vapes, along with a large quantity of cash.
In total, as well as the cash and 265 50g pouches of hand rolling tobacco, trading standards and South Yorkshire Police seized 132 illegal vapes and over 1000 packs of cigarettes from Manor Mini Market and Alan’s Barber’s.
In March 2024, more illicit vapes with a tank size exceeding 2ml were found behind the sales counter and in the storeroom of Manor Mini Market.
The work that our trading standards team is doing to investigate and take action on this issue is as important as ever. They are dedicated to protecting the public, including children, from the harm of illegal vapes and tobacco. It’s good to see successful prosecutions like this one and I thank the team and the officers of South Yorkshire Police who assist the trading standards team in their work.
Traders who continually break the law and cause harm must be accountable for their actions.
Illegal traders and the people who buy from them are contributing to the harm that can be caused by illegal products that are incorrectly labelled, and which contain harmful substances and excessively high illegal levels of nicotine.
None of us want to see the public at risk, and in particular children. We continue our commitment to protecting the next generation from tobacco harm and those who target them with vapes.
Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of Environmental Services and Regulation Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council
* Members of the public concerned about shops selling illegal vapes and in particular vapes to children can report this direct to Sheffield City Council Trading at Trading Standards | Sheffield City Council or they can call or email Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 who will pass the information onto the council.
able’ vapes. This applies to sales online and in shops and all vapes whether they contain nicotine or not. The banning of disposable vapes is designed to reduce the appeal of vapes to children and protect the environment.