A diligent dog was the difference in helping Manchester City Council Trading Standards seize a haul of illegal tobacco.
Back in December 2019 officers attended Superstore, in Stockport Road, Manchester, to carry out a routine inspection.
During this search officers were assisted by a tobacco detection dog, Mollie. During a search Mollie sniffed out a cache of illegal tobacco hidden in a rear storeroom of the shop, as well as on a hidden shelf.
A total of 13,050 cigarettes and 4.5kg of rolling tobacco were seized as a result of this action.
The director of the company Djemal Dulovi, 53, of Chapel Street, Levenshulme, was invited to an interview by Trading Standards but other than confirming his role within the business he did not cooperate with any further questions relating to the alleged offences.
At a hearing held at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 27, 2022, January, Dulovi appeared charged with four offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994, one charge under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, and one charge under the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015.
Both Dulovi and the company pleaded guilty to all offences.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order requiring him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £329, and a victim surcharge of £95.
The company, Superstore MCR Ltd., was sentenced to pay a £2,500 fine, pay costs of £1,229.94 and a victim surcharge of £190.
