Company director of Cardiff convenience store prosecuted for selling illegal tobacco

Kovan Nasser and Santos Off Licence Limited, 323 Cowbridge Road East receive substantial fine and community order after Trading Standards investigation

July 5th, 2023

The offences took place in May 2021 during an operation with HMRC when officers identified an area behind cladding in the back room that was secured with an electromagnetic lock. 

Inside was a store of counterfeit and illegal hand rolling tobacco and cigarettes.  There were 9440 cigarettes and 2.05kg of tobacco. 

Mr Nasser attended at the store and said that he knew nothing about it. However following an investigation on the 27th April 2023 Nasser and Santos Off Licence Ltd pleased guilty to 4 offences under the Trade marks Act 1994, 1 offence under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulation 2016 and 1 offence under The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015.

In sentencing, DJ Webster stated that he took into account that the defendant had pleaded guilty albeit not on the first occasion, that these were sophisticated offences as there had been structural adaptations to the premises and he considered culpability to be in the medium category of the sentencing guidelines.

Kovan Nasser was given a 12 month community order with a 20 day rehabilitation requirement. He was also fined £100, ordered to pay costs of £750 and a court surcharge of £95.

Santos Off Licence Limited were fined £2500, ordered to pay costs of £750 and court surcharge of £190. A forfeiture order was granted in respect of the seized goods.

Members of the public can report illegal tobacco here.