The owner of a newsagents on Manchester’s Curry Mile has been jailed after illegal tobacco and cigarettes were uncovered at his shop.
Mr Mumtaz Jilani, 52, of Blenheim Road, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, was given an 18week custodial sentence at a Manchester Crown Court at a sentencing hearing yesterday
This followed a previous a 24week sentence suspended for two years, and the new offences were carried out during this period of suspension.
Mr Jilani was also ordered to pay costs of £1,120 along with a victims of crime surcharge of £128.
Manchester City Council’s Trading Standards Team visited Jilani’s Newsagents on Wilmslow Road following a complaint by a member of the public with support from a tobacco detection dog.
During the visit on the 27 September 2019, a quantity of illicit tobacco was found concealed behind the counter – consisting of 495 cigarettes and 168g of rolling and chewing tobacco – all of which did not have the required labelling and health warnings.
The tobacco was seized and Officers attempted to contact the owner of the business, Mr Jilani, age 52, on a number of occasions to invite him to attend a formal interview. On each occasion, Mr Jilani failed to attend, and officers moved to prosecute.
