A shop owner was fined thousands for trying hide illegal tobacco - even trying plead ignorance and claim his own staff sneaked the counterfeit goods in.

Staff at D&D Ro Ltd in Edgware, tried to hide an illegal tobacco haul by standing on it when Brent and Harrow Trading Standards made a routine visit last September.

Officers became suspicious when they noticed workers attempted to conceal the stash and seized 51 packets of tobacco that did not carry the required English labels.

The shop owner, Iulian Duta, 41, of Goldbeaters Grove, Edgware, who had been cautioned previously for possessing illegal tobacco, said he did not know how the dodgy goods kept getting back into his shop.

Duta said he made regular checks but claimed his staff must have been sneaking the counterfeit tobacco back into the shop - despite having been fined in the past.

The illegal cigarettes were seized by trading standards officers

Councillor Graham Henson, portfolio holder for environment, crime and community safety, said: “Our trading standards officers aren’t fooled by smoke and mirrors.

"Illegal tobacco doesn’t just mysteriously appear and shop owners have a duty to carry out thorough checks to make sure it doesn’t sneak in.

"Hopefully Mr Dutta has finally learned his lesson.”

D&D Ro Ltd was found selling illegal goods

The shop owner was slapped with fines and costs totalling £4,055 at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on April 18, for not carrying out proper checks on the sale of tobacco, and ignoring warnings.

Duta was also fined in August 2016 for four offences, as back in 2014 he was cautioned for possessing tobacco products that did not carry the correct health warning.

The magistrates ordered Dutta to pay a £350 fine and victim surcharge of £35.

The company was fined £2,500 plus costs £1,000 and victim surcharge £170 - a total of £4,055.

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