In December 2018, Sheffield City Council’s Trading Standards department received information about illegal tobacco sales by David Dukes and Alice Depalma. Trading Standards Officers witnessed the couple making sales during their initial observations and found CCTV footage which recorded them doing so. 

Officers from Trading Standards and South Yorkshire Police stopped and searched the couple outside a pub in March 2019. The Officers found counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco that did not have the correct packaging or required health warnings.

Mr Dukes and Ms Depalma were prosecuted for selling and supplying counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and tobacco. They both pleaded guilty to Trade Marks and other tobacco related offences.

In November 2019, they were both fined £150 and ordered to pay £250 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all of the seized tobacco. 

Ian Ashmore, Head of Environmental Protection at Sheffield City Council, said: “Our trading standards service work hard to protect the public from people operating illegally and to support legitimate businesses. Trading laws are there for a reason, to protect people from the dangers of unauthorised and unregulated products.”

Should you have any questions about your legal obligations in relation to Trading Standards matters and need a specialist Regulatory Solicitor, call James Lowe, our Regulatory Partner on 07833 240 400 for advice and assistance.