A MELKSHAM trader has been fined for being in possession of illegal tobacco after Wiltshire Council conducted an investigation on his business.

On November 5 last year, Wiltshire Council trading standards officers, accompanied by a dog handler and sniffer dogs visited Melksham Off Licence on Market Street and discovered significant quantities of illegal tobacco on the premises and in a vehicle parked outside.

Attempts had been made to conceal some of the tobacco from the authorities by hiding it in the centre of beer crates stacked on top of each other in a storeroom.

Khalid Razaei, 24 who owns the business, originally claimed that the tobacco belonged to him and his girlfriend for personal use.

A total of 980 cigarettes and 1.3kg of hand rolling tobacco were seized representing six different brands, including 'cheap whites'.

However last Monday at Swindon Magistrates Court, he pleaded guilty to a total of 12 offences of having been found in possession of tobacco products for supply which did not bear the prescribed health warnings and did not carry the UK duty paid fiscal mark.

He was fined a total of £100 and ordered to pay costs of £500 to Wiltshire Council. Mr Razaei has now vacated Melksham Off Licence.

Keith Humphries, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for public protection said: “The sale of illegal tobacco in our county has a really adverse effect on our communities. It is sold at cheaper prices than legitimate tobacco products and this makes it particularly attractive to young people. This is not a victimless crime.

“We hope this sends out a message that this will not be tolerated in Wiltshire and if you’re conducting this sort of activity, then we will find you.”

Andrea Dickens, deputy director of Smokefree South West, said that despite traders charging low prices for illegal tobacco, the health risks are a gamble not worth taking.

She added: “All tobacco is harmful, but illegal tobacco poses an additional threat to our children and communities. It is becoming a sophisticated and highly organised crime with criminals using increasingly unusual ways of concealing the product from officers.

“Nearly a quarter of smokers in the South West buy illegal tobacco and we need public support to help to reduce this figure by reporting any information they have, no matter how small they think it is.”