Court gives tough punishment for illicit alcohol and tobacco

A former off-licence boss was been given 120 hours of community service and a £1,000 bill on Thursday after illicit alcohol and tobacco was found in his shop.

Officers from Islington Council Trading Standards team and HMRC visited Supreme Supermarket at 171 Seven Sisters Road, N4, run at the time by Ozkan Ulgudur, on February 24.

They seized 30 bottles of illicit Glen's Vodka, 8000 illicit Marlboro cigarettes, and 2.75kg of shisha tobacco, on which no duty had been paid.  Also, the Marlboros, from Poland, and tobacco did not have the required health warnings.

On Thursday (October 11) at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court, Mr Ulgudur, director of Bound Ltd trading as Supreme Supermarket, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, and three offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

The court sentenced Mr Ulgudur to a community order for 120 hours unpaid work, and awarded the council full costs of £1155.70. The council also received a forfeiture order and destruction order for the goods seized.

The court heard that Mr Ulgudur had bought the items from a white van that called to his shop. The shop is now being run by new owners who have no connection to Mr Ulgudur.

Cllr Paul Convery, Islington Council's executive member for community safety, said: "Booze and cigarettes bought from the back of a van can have anything in them - and vodka is especially high risk.

"Illicit alcohol and tobacco can cause huge harm to communities and we will take action against dodgy dealers who break the law and ignore their responsibilities."

Businesses who want free help and advice on avoiding buying illicit alcohol, or making underage sales can contact Islington's Trading Standards team on 020 7527 4028.