Sleaford shopkeeper jailed for stashing thousands of illegal cigarettes

A shopkeeper with a store in Sleaford has been sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay £11,700 in costs thanks to a Trading Standards investigation.

Lincolnshire Police officers seized thousands of illegal vapes and cigarettes in raids at Karwan Dewari Khatab’s Fresh Fruit and Grocery store on Southgate in Sleaford between September 2023 and February 2024, when the shop was closed by court order.

Andy Wright, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said:

“This is the latest in a long line of brilliant results in our fight against the scourge of counterfeit tobacco and the criminals behind this unlawful trade.

“The severity of this prosecution – a prison sentence and a hefty fine – shows just how seriously these offences continue to be taken and should act as a warning to any unscrupulous traders who choose to put residents at risk in their pursuit of profit.