A MARKET trader was given a 12-month community order after he admitted selling counterfeit cigarettes, which also did not bear the required health warnings.
Carl John Kilby, 45, was caught following a trading standards test purchase as Blackwood Market on August 14, last year.
Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court heard officers found 24, 50g packets of Golden Virginia rolling tobacco, one 50g Amber Leaf rolling tobacco and eight packets of Raquel cigarettes, all of which bore a false trademark and none of which displayed the required health warnings.
On March 1 Kilby sold counterfeit cigarettes to trading standards officers, which again did not display the appropriate health warnings.
A warrant was executed at his home address and officers seized 2,580 Regal King-size cigarettes, 32, 50g Amber Leaf and 150, 50g Golden Virginia rolling tobacco, which were again found to be counterfeit and without the legal health warnings.
Kilby, of Penmaen Avenue, Oakdale, admitted one count of selling goods prohibited by safety regulations and five counts of supplying goods prohibited by safety regulations. He also pleaded guilty to ten counts of possessing goods with a false trademark for sale and one count of offering or exposing for sale goods bearing a false trademark.
He denied one count of selling cigarettes to an under age girl, which was accepted by the prosecution who offered no further evidence on the matter.
Llyr Williams, defending, said his client deserved full credit for his early guilty plea and said his client would not argue that the case involved a small amount of tobacco.
The court also heard from a probation officer who said Kilby did not think of the dangers associated with selling such cigarettes but now realised the possible health and safety implications of not knowing the ingredients and tar levels.
He was ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work and was made pay £75 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
