A store sold counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco concealed in a false front of a shop counter, a court heard.
Test purchases were made by Norfolk Trading Standards officers from the Mini Mart, in Dereham, and warning letters were sent to the person named as the owner about the sale of counterfeit goods, Norwich Crown Court heard.
Despite warnings, further illegal tobacco was bought by trading standards officers, who later raided the premises.
David Wilson, prosecuting, said counterfeit tobacco products seized had no combined health warning and did not comply with the standardised packaging required.
He said the retail value of the tobacco seized was about £5700.
Osman Hassan, 35, from Coventry, admitted the sale of the counterfeit tobacco but claimed he did not know what was happening as he left it to others to run the shop. The offences are said to date between November 2018 until July 2019 and Hassan has since given up the store.
Jailing him for four months suspended for a year, Judge Maureen Bacon said trading standards had become aware about the sale of counterfeit tobacco and written warning letters to him as the named ratepayer of the shop.
She said the counterfeit tobacco was hidden within a false front to the counter and said: "Those customers who knew these cigarettes were available would ask for them, even though they were not on show to the general public."
She said in her view a serious aspect was selling tobacco without proper health warnings, as they were there to discourage smoking.
Jonathan Goodman, for Hassan, said he took over the shop in August 2018 and left it to others to run the shop.
He said although Hassan's estranged partner was living in Dereham at the time, he was still in Coventry and did not know anything about these cigarettes being sold.
However he said Hassan accepted as owner he had to take responsibility.
"He trusted others to look after the shop and did not profit from the sale of these cigarettes."
He said Hassan gave up the business in 2019 and was now reconciled with his partner.
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