A CHEPSTOW shopkeeper has been found guilty of six charges, including the possession for supply of counterfeit and illegally-labelled tobacco and possession and exposure for supply of canisters of nitrous oxide deemed to be unsafe.

 

Farhank Ameen, owner of the European Mini Market in Welsh Street, was fined £1,400 and ordered to pay £1,100 costs at Newport Magistrates Court on Friday, November 25.

Trading Standards team leader, Gareth Walters said: “The prosecution followed an investigation by Monmouthshire’s trading standards officers after they received information from members of the public that the shop was selling cheap cigarettes which they believed to be counterfeit.

“Trading standards officers visited the store on more than one occasion earlier this year and seized over 900 packets of cigarettes and more than 500 pouches of tobacco.  Some of these were found to be counterfeit and the rest failed to satisfy required safety warnings. 

“Officers also seized over 1,100 canisters of nitrous oxide – commonly known as laughing gas – which lacked correct warning labels and were suspected of being sold for the purposes of intoxication.”