Sniffer dogs find hidden illicit tobacco at Yardley shop

A Yardley shop where sniffer dogs discovered 107 packets of illicit tobacco hidden behind a display unit has had its licence revoked.

Trading Standards officers visited DC Minimarket in Church Road on March 12 with a tobacco detection dog and found both counterfeit products and products with no duty paid.

Both types of tobacco were illegal to sell in England and a Birmingham City Council licensing sub-committee hearing heard they could be a danger to customers’ health.

The meeting also heard there had been a lack of compliance with licensing conditions in general at the shop – such as around CCTV, keeping records and staff training.

The committee – consisting of Cllr Mike Leddy (Lab, Brandwood and King’s Heath), Cllr Martin Straker Welds (Lab, Moseley) and Cllr Mike Sharpe (Lab, Pype Hayes) – has now given its decision.

They found there was “a lack of professional supervision”.

The decision states: “Traders acting unscrupulously in offering counterfeit tobacco for sale cannot have any idea of the provenance of these goods, or even if they are fit for their intended use.

“The sub-committee considered that the only intention behind such practices was to maximise profit by tricking consumers; it was doubly unsatisfactory that that no duty would have been paid on the products either.

“The sub-committee was also aware that the victim in the sale of illicit/counterfeit tobacco is not only the consumer, but the brand itself.

“These underground activities cause damage to brand manufacturers, destroying consumer confidence in their products and putting their businesses at risk in these uncertain times.

“The operation had been managed in a way that was not merely irresponsible, but also illegal. The findings had shown a lack of professional supervision…

“After hearing all the evidence, the sub-committee determined that the purchase and sale of illicit and/or counterfeit tobacco was indeed so serious that it could not be tolerated.

“The sub-committee therefore resolved to revoke the licence.”