Shop stripped of gantry after fakes found

A retailer stripped of his gantry after selling illegal tobacco products is now part of a poster campaign against the practice.

The images used in the posters are taken from the store of Ari Aziz Mohammed – UK Mini Market owner in Smethwick, near Birmingham. The unit was removed by Imperial Tobacco in April after Ari was convicted in court of selling illegal tobacco products.

It is the latest instalment of Imperial’s ‘Suspect it? Report it!’ campaign, and features an ‘after’ photo of the bare wall from where the cigarettes were originally sold.

Peter Nelson, Imperial Tobacco anti-illicit trade manager said: “The minority of retailers who have chosen to participate in this illegal trade must not be allowed to tarnish the good name of their honest, hard-working counterparts.

“Imperial will always work with the independent trade to help the vast majority of honest retailers maximise their profit. Meanwhile, our anti-illicit trade team works closely with Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs to weed out those retailers found to be ‘rotten apples’, and ensure customers continue to have faith in their neighbourhood stores.”

Mr Nelson added that the sale of illicit tobacco was an “on-going blight” on local communities and urged anyone suspicious that fake cigarettes were on sale where they live to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000, local Trading Standards, or police.

“Remember, if you ‘Suspect it? Then Report it!’,” Mr Nelson added.