Sheffield couple who sold illicit cigarettes and tobacco landed with £3,000 bill

A Sheffield couple who were caught selling illicit cigarettes and tobacco have been ordered to pay more than £3,000.
Some of the illicit cigarettes seized from the storeSome of the illicit cigarettes seized from the store
Some of the illicit cigarettes seized from the store

Jolanta Sidorwicz, who owns PES Deli, on London Road, and her husband Boguslaw were fined after tobacco and cigarettes with health warnings in a foreign language were found at the store.

The couple, of Waterfield Mews, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to a breach of the Trade Marks Act 1994, relating to the sale of counterfeit tobacco, and to a health warning offence for selling goods which do not carry the correct UK health warning.

PES Deli on London RoadPES Deli on London Road
PES Deli on London Road
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At Sheffield Magistrates' Court last Tuesday, Jolanta, aged 52, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,100 in costs plus a £30 surcharge.

Her husband was fined £250 and was also told to pay £1,100 in costs and a £30 surcharge.

The court agreed to the confiscation of the tobacco and cigarettes sold in the shop.

Sheffield Council said Jolanta had been prosecuted in the past for similar offences.

PES Deli on London RoadPES Deli on London Road
PES Deli on London Road
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Trading Standards officers visited the shop on July 26 last year, when they found some 100 grams of hand rolling tobacco and nearly 800 cigarettes. They also seized nearly 8,000 illicit cigarettes and 1.3kg of hand rolling tobacco from a vehicle owned by Boguslaw, which was parked nearby.

Councillor Bryan Lodge, the council's cabinet member for environment, said: "The illicit tobacco trade is not a victimless crime. It enables children to start smoking because of the cheap prices. It also helps fund organised crime. The sale of illegal tobacco costs the country at least £2 billion in lost tax payments."

"Our trading standards team works closely with the police, HMRC and other agencies to tackle the problem."