A CONVENIENCE store owner has been fined for selling illegal tobacco as trading standards officers examine the extent of the issue in North Yorkshire.

Rzgar Hamasaleh, of High Skellgate, Ripon, was convicted of supplying illegal tobacco to his customers following a hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court.

The county council’s trading standards officers prosecuted the businessman after they visited Ripon Mini Market and discovered Gold Mount, Mayfair and Capital cigarettes behind the counter, all of which were illegal or counterfeit.

The court heard the cigarettes were tested and their level of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide was found to be significantly greater than it said on the packaging. The cigarette packets did not bear the required written and picture warnings.

Magistrates fined Mr Hamasalah, who pleaded guilty, £300 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £444.

After the case, trading standards officers said the offence was uncommon in the county, but they were conducting a survey, the results of which would be known soon, to determine what sort of action was needed to ensure tobacco being sold was legal.

They said the prosecution was part of ongoing work with public health and police colleagues to reduce the amount of illegal tobacco products available in the area.

Councillor David Chance said: “Lost tobacco duty robs the taxpayer of money that could be spent on schools and hospitals.

"In addition, children and young smokers can often be targeted by people who sell illegal cigarettes, making it even easier for them to get hooked on smoking."