Secret compartment in toilet revealed illegal trade worth tens of thousands
A shopkeeper was sentenced to 16 months in prison for trading in illegal tobacco and vapes, with products hidden in secret compartments.Summary
Halkawt Arif, a shopkeeper in Swansea, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after being found with nearly £45,000 worth of illegal tobacco and vapes. A search of his shop, Snoop Vape Store, and his flat revealed the products hidden in secret compartments, including one in a toilet, and under the base of his bed. The illegal stock included vapes with liquid reservoirs exceeding the legal limit. Arif pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including fraudulent trading and possessing goods with false trademarks. The judge emphasized the increasing seriousness of the illegal tobacco and vape trade in the UK, stating its impact “cannot be overstated.” Arif, who came to the UK from Iraq in 2020, claimed his motivation was to send money to his ill mother, but the judge noted the sophistication of the operation and the potential for deportation.
(Source：South Wales Echo)
