A BUSINESS owner has been fined after around £1,500 of illegal tobacco products were seized from his shop.


Mohammed Aslam, owner of MA Fashions in Earlestown, pleaded guilty to possessing illegal tobacco products for supply at Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates Court.


He was taken to court by St Helens Council Trading Standards after his shop was by officers and police in April.


Officers acted on the intelligence of concerned residents and used specially-trained sniffer dogs in the raids.


Aslam, of Park Road, Oldham was ordered to pay a total of £1,208.14 in fines and costs and the seized tobacco will be destroyed by trading standards.


Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron, St Helens Council`s cabinet member for green, smart and sustainable borough said: “No cigarettes are safe but uncontrolled illegal cigarettes and tobacco can contain anything – even rat droppings have been found in fake cigarettes in the past. 


"Not only this, but cheaper illicit cigarettes are more likely to fall into the hands of children and undermine public health efforts to reduce smoking prevalence.”


Anyone who has information about sales of illegal tobacco in St Helens are asked to call St Helens Trading Standards confidentially on 01744 676338 or e-mail St Helens Trading Standards at tradingstandards@sthelens.gov.uk.