Mansfield Council will consider whether to punish an off-licence for selling illegal cigarettes, which left a customer hospitalised after smoking them.

Leeming Lane Stores, on Leeming Lane in Mansfield Woodhouse, was found to have nearly 5,000 illegal cigarettes on its premises when Nottinghamshire Council’s trading standards team visited in January.

The team decided to investigate after the purchaser of a Winston pack of cigarettes fell ill with breathing difficulties, a report from the council’s licensing officer reveals.

When they went in, on January 14, they discovered a total of 244 packets of 20 cigarettes, totalling 4,895 sticks, concealed under some shelving near the till.

Mansfield District Council will decide whether to revoke the alcohol licence of a shop which sold illegal cigarettes with mould in which left a customer in hospital.

placeholder image — Mansfield District Council will decide whether to revoke the alcohol licence of a shop which sold illegal cigarettes with mould in which left a customer in hospital.

A report from the council’s licensing officer said: “The fact that they were hidden in a concealment suggests the owners/operators of the business are fully aware of the laws surrounding the sale of cigarettes and knew these items to be illegal. ”

They included 39 packs of Winston-brand cigarettes, which were the ones the hospitalised person had smoked, as well as eight packs of Top Gun, 36 packs of Manchester, 17 packs of Marlboro Touch, 63 packs of Marlboro Touch with different packaging, 42 packs of L&B Original Silver and 39 packs of Esse.

All were seized by the investigators.

When tested, some were confirmed to be counterfeit, with the 17 packs of Marlboro Touch found to be genuine but only for sale in Turkey.

Bag of illegal cigarettes seized by police

Counterfeit cigarettes do not contain ‘reduced ignition propensity strips’ designed to extinguish the cigarette if it is set down or not drawn on, which have been an EU requirement since 2011 in order to reduce the risk of fire.

Some of those seized were also found to contain mould, the report states.

Five 0.25kg packets of tobacco, worth £150 were seized, in addition to the £3,660 worth of cigarettes, totalling £3,810 worth of goods.

Shop owner Masood Karimi said in a letter to the council that at the time of the incident, he had left the management of the shop to a staff member due to the death of his father, the health issues of his elderly mother and the birth of his child.

It said: “I was extremely shocked and disappointed to receive a call informing that officers had found illegal tobacco on the premises.

"I immediately went to the shop to investigate and spoke directly with the staff member involved.

“He admitted responsibility and said he was attempting to increase sales because the shop was quiet.

"I want to make it absolutely clear that I do not condone or support any illegal activity.

"I deeply regret that this has happened under my ownership.

“This situation is very embarrassing for me and I take full responsibility as the business owner.

"I sincerely apologise for this matter and respectfully ask for your understanding given the difficult personal circumstances I have faced.”

Mansfield’s licensing panel, made up of Labour councillors Michael Abbs, Alan Bell and John Coxhead, will decide at a meeting on April 20 whether to revoke the shop’s alcohol licence.

Their other options include to take no further action, modify the conditions of the licence, exclude something from the licence, remove the “designated premises supervisor” listed on the licence, or suspend the licence for a temporary period.