Sentence: 10 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 2 years; 80 hours unpaid work; £1,400 fine
Chaudhary Rahman, a 41-year-old shop owner of Chapel Convenience, Star Convenience, and Oceans Eleven on Railway Road in Leigh, was found in possession of 5,100 packs of illicit cigarettes and 1,300 illicit vapes valued at around £66,000 in September 2023. The items lacked necessary packaging, signage, and health warnings, with vapes exceeding the 2ml tank volume limit and missing correct batch numbers. Greater Manchester Police discovered the goods, leading to prosecution by Wigan Council’s Trading Standards.