A woman who sold counterfeit cigarettes was rumbled after a concerned parent found them in their daughter's school bag.
Gateshead Council says Norma Anderson was found to have been selling cigarettes to children from her home on Pensher Street, Felling, Gateshead.
Officers with the authority's Trading Standards team seized almost 3,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 1.3kg of hand-rolling tobacco from Anderson's home in a raid on July 3 last year.
Anderson was interviewed on the findings but answered "no comment" to all questions, and was subsequently prosecuted.
Appearing at Gateshead Magistrates' Court on February 17, Anderson pleaded guilty to two offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.
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She was fined by magistrates £180, and ordered to pay an additional £150 in costs.
Alice Wiseman, director of public health for Gateshead Council, says: "Tobacco is the only product which will, if used as it is intended, lead to the early death of half of all those who use it.
"We know that the majority of smokers, most of whom will have started smoking as children in their teens, want to give up their habit but struggle with their addiction.
"It's therefore imperative that we act to protect children and young people from the serious harm caused by tobacco, and I welcome Gateshead Council Trading Standards' actions in pursuing this case and helping to protect the children of our community."
Speaking at her home after the case, Anderson insisted the counterfeit goods were for her family and not to be sold to children.
She said: "I was not selling cigarettes to children. The cigarettes were only for my family.
"There was no mention of it in court. I don't know where they have got that from.
"I feel disgusted, it's all over the estate that I've been selling to kids.
"The case happened a couple of weeks ago, why is it being brought up now?"
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