An Oldham shopkeeper has been fined after an illegal stash of cigarettes and tobacco was found stashed in the basement of his premises.
After a string of complaints from members of the public that illicit or counterfeit tobacco was being sold at Timisoara, on Ashton Road, Oldham Council has confirmed that officers from Oldham Trading Standards and a trained sniffer dog raided the shop, and a total of 22,557 mixed brand cigarettes were uncovered.
100gm of illegal hand rolling tobacco was also seized from the premises.
The illegal cigarettes and tobacco were found stashed and hidden in a number of locations throughout the shop – including in a concealment behind the counter, in an adapted jacket and a holdall, and in the basement.
The owner of the shop, 39-year-old Sardar Mohammed, pleaded guilty to offences under the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015, as well as an offence under the Trade Marks Act 1994, and was told to pay costs of £3,450 and a £95 victim surcharge.
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He was also sentenced to an 18-month community order that requires him to attend 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement, and 180 hours of unpaid work.
Officers from Oldham Trading Standards and a trained sniffer dog raided Timisoara on Ashton Road / Credit: Google Maps
“Thanks to good work by our Trading Standards staff, and tip offs from residents, a large haul of illegal cigarettes has been seized,” explained Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods at Oldham Council.
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“Illegal tobacco makes it easier for children and young people to buy cigarettes and get hooked on smoking and the people making money out of this do not care who they sell to and the illegal tobacco trade has strong links with organised crime.”
She continued: “We are working with partners across Greater Manchester to drive down the illegal trade and the market is declining – but it still goes on.”
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Oldham Council is asking local residents to keep an eye out, and where they see cheap tobacco being sold, often as ‘duty free’, are encouraged to get in touch and report it either anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or online at keep-it-out.co.uk.
“We will take action if we find illegal tobacco for sale,” the Council insists.
— Barefoot Spooky Bartender 👣💀🍹 (@barefoottiki) October 10, 2024
“Be assured there won’t be 14408mph winds, hurricane force winds or overnight temperatures of 404°C.
“It is being looked at and hopefully sorted asap.”
BBC Weather shared: “You may have noticed some data issues on our app and website. We are working hard to fix it quickly. Sorry – please bear with us.
“In the meantime here are Thursday’s weather headlines: -Colder, clearer air moving in -Rain and drizzle in south -Blustery showers near east coast”
And national treasure Carol Kirkwood said live on air: “We are having a technical glitch at the moment. It’s showing wind speeds far too fast, in fact, hurricane strength and that is not the case at all.
“Please don’t be alarmed. We are aware of it and on it.”
At the time of writing, the BBC Weather forecast service is still predicting hurricane force winds for the UK. Eek.
BBC issues statement after UK forecast shows ‘hurricane force winds’ up to 14,000mph
New 44-storey skyscraper proposed that could change one of Manchester’s most famous views
Emily Sergeant
Plans for a massive new 44-storey residential skyscraper in the heart of the city centre have been revealed.
But does this mean it could change one Manchester‘s most famous views?
Located on what has been referred to as a “prominent site” adjacent to Deansgate train station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop at Whitworth Street West, these dramatic proposals would see the development of 364 apartments set over 44 storeys – with more 7,750 sq ft of active space on the ground, first, and second floor levels.
Developers Glenbrook say the building has been designed to “respond to the city’s heritage”, most-notably through its three-storey arched terracotta colonnade at street level.
Well-lit new green spaces, the enhancing of existing pedestrian routes, and seamless integration with the surrounding communities, all form part of the landscaping proposals for the bold new project.
“As a Manchester-based developer, we are excited about the prospect of embarking on a landmark development in the heart of our city, admitted Daniel Roberts, who is the Development Director at Glenbrook, as the proposals were unveiled this week.
“Whitworth Street West is undergoing a period of revitalisation, and Glenbrook are incredibly proud to be playing such an integral part in its future.”
A CGI of a proposed skyscraper on Whitworth Street West in Manchester / Credit: Glenbrook
A public consultation on the plans has now been launched, and will be live up until 28 October, as well as a dedicated in-person event, where representatives from Glenbrook and the design team will be on hand to answer questions and gather feedback, scheduled to take place at HOME MCR on First Street from 3:30-7:30pm on 15 October.
Residents, businesses, and interested stakeholders will have the opportunity to view the plans in detail, and provide their thoughts on the proposals.
The view of what Whitworth Street West currently looks like in October 2024 / Credit: The Manc Group
According to developers, the feedback gathered during the consultation will play a key role in shaping the final planning application – which will be submitted to the Manchester City Council in the coming months, and ultimately ensure the development meets the needs of the community.
Emily Sergeant -
27th June 2022 
