Bedford town centre shop smuggled counterfeit tobacco

The director of the International Mini Market Ltd has been handed a suspended jail sentence after council officers seized smuggled counterfeit tobacco.

The Thurlow Street business – and its director Shaho Karimi – pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to multiple breaches of legal requirements relating to the sale of tobacco, including labelling and trademark offences associated to smuggled and counterfeit tobacco.

Mr Karimi was sentenced on Friday, October 27 to 50 weeks’ imprisonment for the trademark offences, and 26 weeks for the tobacco labelling offences, to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay costs of £7,500 and undertake 100 hours of unpaid work.

The prosecution took place following an investigation by Bedford Borough Council’s Trading Standards team at the shop.

This included providing advice to the business, and repeated failed test purchase operations, as well as seizures of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco from the business.

A council spokesperson said: “The business and Mr Karim showed a complete disregard for the law, continuing to take part in the sale of illegal tobacco despite repeated interventions by council officers. We will continue to monitor the activities at the business, and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary."