Key Summary
- Shop worker caught selling fake cigarettes at Shildon Mini Market.
- Received two-year conditional discharge and £500 fine.
- Claimed he was acting under others' orders.
A shop worker of a mii market-like store in Darlington, who was found with a haul of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco, has been sentenced to a two year conditional discharge. He is also ordered to pay £500 court costs.
Sharmeran Hussin was caught selling the dodgy goods to undercover Trading Standards officers while working at Shildon Mini Market. On June 13, Hussin appeared at Durham Crown Court to be sentenced for conspiracy to supply goods with an unauthorised trademark.
He had pleaded guilty previously.
The court heard that in October 2022, Trading Standards were notified of illegal cigarettes being sold from the Shildon Mini Market. When officers went to the store, Hussin was behind the counter.
The 25-year-old was seen to have a bag behind the shop counter which was full of various brands of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco.
The court heard, "A bag with various brands of tobacco and cigarettes were found inside a Sports Direct bag which Hussin had placed behind the counter. The products were found to be counterfeit and they were seized."
Hussin sold two packets of counterfeit cigarettes to undercover officers during a test purchase. Officers returned to the store on another date and were again sold counterfeit cigarettes, this time by another shop worker.
The court was told that when CCTV was reviewed of one Trading Standards visit, Hussin was seen to "run from the rear of the shop carrying a holdall bag".
A bag full of counterfeit tobacco was later found in Hussin's car.
Hussin accepted he had bought counterfeit products, but insisted he was "acting under the direction of others and was scared to name them", the court heard.
