Shop's licence revoked after counterfeit cigarettes found

Aro Mini Market, formerly Lein Mini Market, had its licence reviewed on Thursday morning following a request from West Yorkshire Trading Standards.

A Trading Standards officer said shops like this that sold cheap, counterfeit tobacco harmed “honest” businesses.

The licence holder of the store, Hemen Haji Kadri Salihi attended the meeting, and informed members he has changed his name to Hemen Jalal since he was first granted the licence in 2016.

Members were told that police visited the store, a short distance from Valley Parade, on February 9, 2021 and seized “a large quantity of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco.”

On November 14, 2023, an undercover Trading Standards officer visited the store and was able to purchase 20 Richmond cigarettes for £4.

On December 13, officers carried out an inspection at the store, where illegal tobacco was found behind the counter.

After further searching officers found over 800 packs of counterfeit cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and non-duty paid Shisha tobacco. In total the counterfeit goods were worth around £21,000.

David Mullins from Trading Standards told members that a 20 pack of cigarettes would usually cost at least £12 – and so the £4 cost at this store showed that duty had not been paid on these cigarettes.

Counterfeit cigarettes found in the mini market (Image: West Yorkshire Trading Standards)

He said the low price of these cigarettes would harm efforts to encourage people to stop smoking.

Mr Mullins told the panel that such sales of counterfeit tobacco could harm “legitimate” local businesses.

He added: “It could lead to honest retailers closing – causing the local economy to suffer.”

The sale of illegal tobacco was an obvious breach of the store’s alcohol licence, which says the business has to do all it can to prevent crime.

When asked if the store was being prosecuted, Mr Mullins said the amount of tobacco seized was not high enough for Trading Standards to initiate criminal proceedings.

Mr Jalal told the panel that he handed the shop over to another man in 2020, and took back control of the business in February of this year.

He argued that none of the illegal activity took place while he was in charge or ownership of the store.

He said he had rang the new owner after handing over the store several times – asking if he had changed the licence details. This apparently never happened, and Mr Jalal remained the legal licence holder for the period in question.

Panel member Councillor Marcus Dearden (Lab, Bingley) asked if Mr Jalal had any evidence that the store had changed hands. He said he didn’t have any to hand.

Mr Mullins said whatever the ownership situation, the licence related to the shop itself and not any individual person.

After a deliberation, members voted to revoke the store’s licence.