A north Manchester newsagent has been fined after almost 2,000 illegal cigarettes were found in the shop.
The discovery was made after council officials carried out a search at Lucky News NW Ltd in Harpurhey Shopping Centre on Rochdale Road.
They found a range of illicit products, including loose rolling tobacco and other brands of cigarettes such as Lambert & Butler, Richmond and Amber Leaf.
A total of 1,940 illegal cigarettes and 250g of hand rolling tobacco were seized, Manchester City Council said.
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The company's director, 41-year-old Mubarak Natha of Lee Avenue, Bolton, was invited for an interview after the discovery was made.
But he declined to comment, the council said.
The case was heard in Manchester Magistrates Court on Monday (September 27) where the company pleaded guilty to two charges under the Trade Mark Act 1994, and one under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations.
JPs ordered the company pay a total fine and costs of £4,150.
Natha was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, pay a victim surcharge of £90, and a forfeiture and destruction order was made against the seized tobacco.
Both defendants, Natha and Lucky News NW Ltd, were prosecuted in November 2020 for identical offences which occurred in September 2018.
Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "Everything that we do as a Council is a team effort from the officers who carry out these searches, the legal team who prosecute and even our furry friend Dixie who helped discover this illicit tobacco.
"The sale of illicit tobacco is especially concerning as we know that because it is sold so cheaply it acts as either a gateway for first time smokers, or prevents people from quitting.
"There are still too many people in Manchester who get seriously ill or die from smoking related illnesses which is why through action like this we are determined to stamp out this trade."
Andrea Crossfield, Making Smoking History Lead at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership said: "Illegal tobacco might seem like a bargain but it comes at a high price to our kids and our communities.
"Legal or illegal, all tobacco contains a toxic cocktail of chemicals which will kill one in two long term smokers.
"Illegal cigarettes are often responsible for getting children started on this lethal addiction, because of their availability at pocket money prices and because dealers don’t care who they sell to.
"The crackdown on illegal tobacco is part of wider efforts to cut smoking rates and make smoking history for future generations."
