Fined for selling illegal tobacco

SLOUGH: A High Street shop has been fined more than £61,000 after being caught selling illegal tobacco, writes Martha Chapman.

J.S.G. UK Ltd, trading as SL Wines, its director Surgit Singh and company secretary Jasmeet Singh, both from Hounslow, were fined and ordered to pay proceeds of crime at Reading Crown Court on Monday (June 27).

During an investigation in 2019 using tobacco detection dogs, £12,000 worth of illegal tobacco products were discovered in a van, registered to SL Wines, outside the back of the shop.

The products were seized by Slough’s Trading Standards officers – as they were both found counterfeit and breached labelling requirements that referred to the dangers of tobacco.

The company was fined a total of £1,120 for both the counterfeit and mislabelled goods and the director, while Surgit and Jasmeet Singh were fined the same amount each.

In addition, a proceeds of crime order was made against the company, the director and the company secretary, totalling £47,111.43.

The total judgement means the amount attributed to the offence was in excess of £61,000.

Councillor Beni Bains, lead member for public protection, regulation, and enforcement at Slough Council, said: “Illegal tobacco is potentially dangerous and beyond the dangers normally associated with tobacco.

"I hope this will serve as a warning to those who sell illegal tobacco that Slough Borough Council will seek out this kind of product and take a robust stance against such sales.

“My thanks also go to the council’s Financial Investigators who were able to uncover the profit made from this illegal activity.”