TWO Dudley shops have been prosecuted as part of a crackdown on cigarette and alcohol crime.

Enforcement officers from Dudley Council seized thousands of fake and smuggled cigarettes with a street value of more than £4,600 from one shop in Brierley Hill.

They also banned another – in Lower Gornal - from selling alcohol and cigarettes.

Dudley Council trading standards officers, police and tobacco industry representatives found 6,820 cigarettes when they swooped on Eazy Shop in Brierley Hill High Street with a sniffer dog in September last year.

A total of 29 packs of rolling tobacco, which did not display appropriate warning markings and some of which were counterfeit, were also found in the raid.

Hassan Kadir, from the shop, admitted a charge of possessing counterfeit tobacco at Dudley Magistrates Court on Thursday September 11 and was fined £150 and ordered to pay £1,461 costs.

The same shop was visited again by officers in December last year and a further 3,600 cigarettes and 39 packs of rolling tobacco were found.

On this occasion, shop worker Safine Peorte Zada received a conditional discharge from Dudley magistrates and was ordered to pay £900 costs and a £15 victim surcharge after admitting similar charges on August 21 this year.

In a separate matter, bosses at Lake Discount Stores, in Lake Street, Lower Gornal, have had their licence to sell booze revoked after an undercover check at the store revealed staff sold alcohol to someone underage.

There were also similar allegations of underage sales of alcohol and cigarettes over a period of months.

The store was also caught selling alcohol despite having its licence suspended for not paying its licence fee.

Councillor Rachel Harris, Dudley’s cabinet member responsible for health, said: “These prosecutions send out a clear message that we will not tolerate the illegal sale of tobacco and alcohol. We have a duty to protect people buying goods in shops and to support local businesses, but only if they stay within the law. The council will utilise the fullest extent of our powers once we are aware of suspected illegal activities.”

People can report problems to Dudley trading standards officers on 01384 814688 or use the free 24 hour confidential voicemail line on 01384 814600.