LoginCounterfeit Tobacco Seller Prosecuted
A shop owner in Barrow has pleaded guilty to Trade Mark and tobacco labelling offences.
Journal of Trading Standards Staff
Posted 21 August 2025 | JoTS Online
Content Tags: Updates|Counterfeit Goods|North West
Westmorland & Furness Trading Standards has prosecuted a shop owner who sold counterfeit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco from a store in Barrow.
Bahruz Alyasi (31) of Duncan Road, Derby, pleaded guilty to two Trade Mark offences and one tobacco labelling offence after Officers were sold counterfeit tobacco during a test purchase operation at the European Food Store on Dalton Road, Barrow in November 2021.
A subsequent search of the premises uncovered 206 packets of illegal cigarettes and 850g of hand-rolling tobacco.
On 18 August at Barrow Magistrates Court Alyasi was given a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs plus a victim surcharge of £90.
Councillor John Murray, Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services at Westmorland & Furness Council, said: “The work carried out by our Trading Standards team sends a clear message—illegal tobacco sales will not be tolerated. Those involved in the storage, distribution, or sale of illicit tobacco will face serious consequences.
“The trade in illegal tobacco harms legitimate businesses, provides a cheap source of cigarettes for children and young people, and undermines efforts to reduce smoking rates. Illegal tobacco sales are also often linked to wider criminal activity.
“Our officers routinely act on intelligence, as they did in this case, so I would encourage consumers to continue to report those involved in selling illicit tobacco, because their valuable information can significantly aid our investigations."
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Content Tags: Updates|Counterfeit Goods|North West
