TWO Newport stores have had their licences revoked for selling illegal, smuggled cigarettes and tobacco products.

Nazar Mini Market, in Corporation Road, and Taste Of The World, in Clarence Place, were banned from selling cigarettes and alcohol by Newport City Council’s licensing sub-committee earlier today.

Matthew Cridland, Trading Standards manager, said the smuggling problem at Taste Of The World is “the tip of the iceberg” for Newport.

Taste Of The World was inspected in June 2012 by Newport City Council officers who found a carrier bag containing a total of 40 packets of cigarettes under a sink and with the help of a search dog, found 11 packets of 20 President cigarettes, six packets of L&M Blue cigarettes, four packets of Marlboro Gold and two packets of PECT cigarettes, all of which were smuggled and not intended to the UK.

In January this year, Alper Sahin Erten, who indicated he was the sole owner of the shop, pleaded guilty to selling illegal tobacco and was sentenced to a 12-month community order.

Mr Cridland explained to the committee that Jin Ling cigarettes, which were on sale at Taste Of The World, are “produced for the sole purpose of being smuggled and sold”.

He added: “It’s quite unusual in the UK for retail premises to be openly selling these products.”

Trading Standards have carried out raids at storage units in Newport and large stocks of illegal tobacco had been found providing shops such as Taste Of The World with its stock.

Councillor Allan Morris, chairing the committee said: “Tobacco has been knowingly sold, it’s illegal tobacco and the licence holder was clearly in on it.

“He’s admitted his guilt but he hasn’t turned up today to try and defend himself.”

Cllr Morris added there was “nothing dodgy” about the Premium brand cigarettes in terms of their content, they were just not meant to be sold in the UK.

At a second hearing for Nazar Mini Market, trading standards officers said they seized 35 packets of Russian cigarettes, 24 packets of Marlboro Gold and 17 packets of Marlboro Red cigarettes, all with foreign labelling in July 2013.

In May 2014, Newport City Council officers again inspected Nazar Mini Market and seized 58 packets of 20 Marlboro Gold and one pouch of Cutters Choice tobacco with no English labelling, indicating they were smuggled.

In February, previous licence holder Osman Olmus and shopkeeper Mehmet Carcabuk pleaded guilty at Cwmbran Magistrates Court to offences under the Consumer Protection Act for selling illegal tobacco.

Both were fined £2,000 for the illegal tobacco offences and £2,000 for the food labelling offences.

At today's hearing, the committee heard the business was sold on April 1 to Kasim Olguz, who it was acknowledged had no part in the sale of illegal tobacco.

Additional information submitted to the committee last week however said that licensing officers attended the shop and found alcohol being sold.

Mr Olguz was questioned about who held the licence for the shop but said he had no understanding of what a designated licence holder was.

Cllr Morris said: “We have a premises with a history of causing us a headache. With the greatest respect [Mr Olguz], you were absolutely naive about the alcohol trade, absolutely naive about how to run a shop.”

Both premises licences were revoked but both can appeal the committee’s decision within 21 days.