A Cardiff store has been fined over £20,000 for selling illegal vapes and tobacco

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

A Cardiff business has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 for selling illegal vapes and tobacco.

Aydin Ltd, trading as Mini Mart Store on Countisbury Avenue in Llanrumney, was found to be repeatedly selling illegal vapes and tobacco products following a series of investigations by Shared Regulatory Services (SRS).

Aydin Ltd and its director, Rostam Ahmed, pleaded guilty to a total of 16 offences relating to the sale of those illegal products.

Investigations revealed that the store was selling vapes with tank sizes above legal limits in addition to counterfeit and incorrectly labelled tobacco products.

At a sentenced hearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on July 3, the company was fined £16,000 as well as being ordered to pay £4,600 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

Its director received a 12-month community order, including 10 days of rehabilitation activity in addition to a £500 fine, £100 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

All seized products were forfeited by the court and are now set to be destroyed.

The mini mart had previously been made subject to a closure order under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 because of the scale and seriousness of the offending.

Cllr Ed Stubbs, cabinet member responsible for Shared Regulatory Services, said: “The sale of illegal tobacco and vapes is of great concern. It impacts the health of residents in Cardiff and damages the wider economy.”

He continued: “Legitimate businesses are affected as customers buy illegal products instead, and the availability of these products removes incentives for people to quit smoking.

“Robust action will be taken by Trading Standards against businesses that continually flout the law, and it is encouraging to see that the court’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of this illegal activity.”