A SHOP owner who failed to appear in court after the discovery of £6,000 worth illegal tobacco and cigarettes with a retail value of £6,000, has been jailed.
Arras Omar Ahmed, also known as Araz, of Devonshire Place, Hastings, faced three charges following two inspections and a test purchase by East Sussex Trading Standards at Little Shop in Bohemia Road, St Leonards.
Hastings Magistrates Court was due to hear the case in March 22, 2022, but the 38-year-old failed to attend. Ahmed was eventually found guilty in his absence and sentenced to 26 weeks in prison on Thursday, October 17, a fourth hearing he failed to attend. That sentence was reduced to 16 weeks following an appeal hearing on Friday, November 8.
Cllr Penny di Cara, the council’s lead member for economy, said: “The supply of illegal tobacco is something we take extremely seriously, and this case shows that we will do everything in our power and persevere to ensure those putting residents at risk are brought to justice.
“Mr Ahmed’s failure to appear in court to answer Trading Standards’ charges a total of four times only led to an even harsher sentence.”
“The sale of illegal tobacco, which is not subject to the usual stringent checks and safeguards, puts people’s health further in jeopardy, risks encouraging more young people to smoke and places money into the pockets of criminal gangs.”
As well as a prison sentence, Ahmed was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and full prosecution costs of £2,887.50. The court also ordered the destruction of the cigarettes and tobacco seized.
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