A corner shop in Llanelli was caught selling counterfeit cigarettes, raking in £1 million while evading taxes, leading to prison sentences for its directors.
Llanelli: So, there’s this corner shop that got busted for selling fake cigarettes. They made a whopping £1 million while dodging taxes. Crazy, right? The court found over 100,000 counterfeit cigarettes and a bunch of cash during the investigation.
The shop was mainly a cash operation, and the judge said the owners were just driven by greed. They were caught after some undercover buys revealed they were selling illicit smokes. The two guys running the place, Shoresh Mhmood and Aran Baker, had their homes searched, and guess what? They found loads of fake cigarettes and a safe with nearly £33,000 in cash at Mhmood’s place.
It turns out Mhmood’s bank accounts had received over £139,000 in cash during a couple of years. Baker’s accounts weren’t too far behind either. The prosecutor mentioned that on a slow day, they were still pulling in around £615 from selling these dodgy cigarettes. On busier days, that number shot up to £2,225. Over time, that added up to nearly £1 million!
The UK government is really cracking down on illegal tobacco sales. They say it’s a big deal because it not only affects public health but also helps fund organized crime. Both Mhmood and Baker pleaded guilty to fraud and got some serious prison time. Baker got 52 months, and Mhmood got 41 months. They’ll serve half of that before being released.
After the sentencing, a council spokesperson said this case shows how illegal tobacco trade harms communities and public health. They’re urging people to report any suspicious activity to help keep everyone safe. It’s a wild story, but it’s a reminder of how serious these things can get!