A couple ran a large-scale illegal tobacco operation from a Swansea food shop, a court has heard. With the help of sniffer dogs, trading standards officers recovered 140,000 illegal cigarettes and 20kg of rolling tobacco during a series of raids, some of which was being hidden in secret compartments in the ceiling and in a food chiller.
The dodgy tobacco trade continued even while the owners of the store were being investigated. The mastermind behind the operation, Jamal Karimi, has previously been jailed but his partner left the country before she could be sentenced.
Simona Adamova returned to the UK from the Czech Republic shortly before Christmas to face justice and found herself in the dock of Merthyr Crown Court this week. Karimi and Adamova ran the Stokrotka Polish food shop on Mansel Street in Swansea city centre.
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In a series of raids by Swansea Council trading standards officers and staff from HM Revenue and Customs beginning in December 2018 large quantities of illegal cigarettes and tobacco were seized both from the store and from vehicles parked outside it. The cigarettes were either "illicit whites" – cigarettes with no branding – or counterfeit versions of well-known brands.
On a number of occasions specialist sniffer dogs were used in the searches, and they helped to uncover concealed storage areas in the shop including one in a chiller cabinet and one in the ceiling void – the latter had its own electrically-operated lift for accessing the clandestine goods. A quantity of cosmetics and medicines which did not have English-langue labelling were also seized from the store.
Officers also carried out a search of the couple's house on Powys Avenue, Townhill, Swansea, and recovered thousands of illegal cigarettes and kilos of tobacco products stored in large suitcases.
In total some 140,000 illegal cigarettes and 20kg of rolling tobacco were seized during the lengthy operation. The value of the recovered products has been put at £176,000 but there is no way of putting a figure on how much money had been made over the months from similar products which had actually been sold. There was evidence the trade in illegal in tobacco products had continued even while the owners were at the centre of a major investigation and the shop was being repeatedly visited by inspectors.
In May 2021 Karimi was sentenced to 38 months in prison but 45-year-old Adamova had previously left the country after entering guilty pleas to engaging in unfair commercial practices, distributing dangerous products, and to trade mark offences at magistrates court. Adamova returned to the UK in December last year.
Jon Tarrant, for Adamova, said his client was remorseful for her involvement in the operation, and said there was some evidence of coercion by the co-defendant and others who had not been charged.
He said after defendant had entered her guilty pleas and then, while waiting for her partner to stand trial - Karimi eventually entered guilty pleas shortly before his trial - a pregnant Adamova had returned to the Czech Republic to be with her ill mother. The advocate said when the matter originally fell to be sentenced the defendant had been due give birth, and had then found herself unable to travel due to Covid restrictions. He said once the defendant had the funds and had made arrangements for her three children she returned to the UK to surrender herself.
Adamova was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.
Speaking after the sentencing Rhys Harries, trading standards team leader in Swansea Council, said: "Last year we confiscated large quantities of counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes from a number of local shops in Swansea, including tens of thousands of cigarettes and 220kg of rolling tobacco.
"In this particular case the dogs were able to find goods hidden in places as diverse as ceiling cavities and in the false bottoms of shop displays. But our message to people who willingly put others’ health at risk is that this case demonstrates there is no hiding place for you. The counterfeit tobacco was tested and failed to comply with UK safety standards designed to prevent the cigarettes from continuing to burn when not being smoked, which helps prevent house fires. This was a concern for us and also it’s very likely those who are trading in illegal tobacco are also selling it to those under the legal age limit.
"The use of the search dogs has been invaluable as they can direct us to tobacco products that have been hidden within the shops we are visiting."
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