A COUPLE who run a store in Newport have been fined over £4,000 for selling counterfeit cigarettes.

Director of the company United Foods (Gwent) Parvin Ali and her husband Tassadduk Ali appeared before Cwmbran magistrates Court on Monday morning.

As the director of the company based on Jeffrey Street, Mrs Ali was charged with supply of a dangerous product.

Her husband, who worked in the shop, was charged with three counts of possession of cigarettes and one count of supply of a dangerous product.

The magistrates were told that on June 18, 2014, a test purchase was carried out at the premises, and Mr Ali sold a packet of cigarettes that were tested and found to be counterfeit.

On July 24, 2014, an inspection was carried out by trading standards and further cigarettes were found on the premises.

In total there were 140 Jin Ling Cigarettes and 320 President cigarettes.

Prosecutor Simon Cadenhead explained that the cigarettes are classed as a dangerous product due to the product not reaching safety standards required in the UK and the packaging not including the correct warnings.

The product had also evaded the tobacco products excise duty as required by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Service.

The total duty for 460 cigarettes is £109.31, with the items being made in China.

Defending, Roger James, told the court that the numbers were modest.

The selling of the product started as a person who worked for the couple in the shop smoked the cigarettes and customers to the business wanted to purchase some, so the shop began selling them to customers who wanted them.

He added: “It was not a large volume.”

He highlighted that the parents of four children, work very hard for a modest income, and would not have made much profit from the sale.

The couple pleaded guilty to all of the charges.

Both defendants were given a conditional discharge for three years and Mrs Ali was ordered to pay court costs of £260.42 and a victim surcharge of £15.

Mr Ali was ordered to pay £1,041.70 court costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

The company was fined a total of £3,056.70.