A SHOPKEEPER has been handed a suspended jail term and left more than £3,000 out of pocket after being caught selling illegal tobacco products.

Arsalan Mohammadi was convicted at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on Janaury 25 following an investigation of his store, One Shop, in London Road, St Leonard’s, by the East Sussex Trading Standards.

Undercover officers were sold Golden Virginia rolling tobacco not bearing the plain packaging required by law.

Officers also seized counterfeit Richmond cigarettes. The defendant, 38, admitted two offences relating to trademark law and was sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and is required to do 160 hours’ unpaid work.

He admitted three counts of breaching the law on packaging and was given a £1,000 fine for each count.

Mohammadi was also ordered to pay £450 court costs and a victim surcharge of £115.

Richard Strawson, East Sussex County Council team manager for Trading Standards, said: “Our officers work tirelessly to reduce the supply of illegal tobacco through intelligence-led inspections and test purchases.

“Selling these kind of products brings organised crime into our communities, undermines efforts to discourage smoking and in particular encourages tobacco use among young people due to cheaper prices."