A former shop worker has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 after admitting offences linked to the supply of illegal vapes, following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Darian Kaify Hassani, 20, of Frederick Road, Cowley, admitted personally supplying illegal vapes to trading standards test purchasers and aiding and abetting the company in supplying hundreds more products that breached legal nicotine liquid limits.

Hassani changed his plea to guilty on the morning of the trial at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on 2 September 2026. He was fined £720 and ordered to pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs, together with a surcharge of £288, making a total of £2,008.

The prosecution followed a trading standards’ investigation into Khalifa Super Store, formerly trading from 120 Cowley Road, Oxford.

Councillor Kate Gregory Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “I am pleased that our trading standards team have once again been able to remove illegal, addictive products from our high streets. This case demonstrates that individuals who knowingly assist in the sale of illegal products can be held personally accountable for their actions.”

The court heard test purchases were made by a trading standards officer on 23 February 2025 and again on 16 March 2025. Both devices sold by Hassani contained nicotine containing liquid five times the maximum 2ml capacity permitted by law. 

He also acknowledged helping the company supply 339 illegal disposable vapes, comprising 214 vapes containing 10ml of nicotine liquid, and 125 containing 24ml - up to twelve times the legal limit.

The packaging also failed to include the required UK producer or importer contact details.

The products were discovered on 16 March 2025 inside a concealed compartment, operated by electro-magnet, built into shelving directly behind the shop counter.  The court heard that Hassani regularly worked in the retail area of the shop and had been present during earlier trading standards inspections and seizures.

Despite being aware of officers' concerns regarding these products, he continued to involve himself in their sale and supply.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council's Trading Standards Operations Manager, added: "Mr Hassani had previously been present during trading standards interventions and was aware of officers' concerns regarding these products. Despite that knowledge, he continued to assist in their sale and supply.

“My officers will continue to take robust action against those involved in this illegal trade in order to protect consumers and support legitimate businesses."

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco, vapes or related products can report it anonymously by calling 0300 999 6 999 or by visiting www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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The court was told that Hassani had left his employment at Khalifa Super Store in December 2025 and is currently in receipt of Universal Credit of £338.50 and housing benefit of £660 each month.

Yadgar Ghafour, the former owner and director of Khalifa Super Store Ltd, previously pleaded guilty to all offences at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 28 November 2025 and was ordered to pay £3907.24 in fines and costs.  Khalifa Super Store Ltd also pleaded guilty to all offences and was ordered to pay £17,616.24 in fines and costs.

Khalifa Super Store Ltd now trades as Khalifa Supermarket from 120 Cowley Road and is under different ownership.

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Residents are being encouraged to take up the offer of a free electric blanket check, part of Oxfordshire County Council’s programme to ensure everyone is safe, as well as warm, this winter.

As electric blanket tests are normally very popular, they must be booked in advance to be guaranteed.

Sessions will be held at locations across the county. The full address and a specific time slot will be provided at time of booking:

September 2026:

• Monday 21: Thame
• Tuesday 22: Rose Hill, Oxford
• Wednesday 23: Banbury
• Thursday 24: Chipping Norton
• Friday 25: Abingdon

October 2026

• Monday 5: Didcot
• Tuesday 6: Barton, Headington
• Wednesday 7: Bicester
• Thursday 8: Witney
• Friday 9: Wantage

Of the 920 electric blankets tested at last year’s events, 338 failed safety assessments - a failure rate of 36.7 per cent, which is an increase from the previous year.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “This is something we have been offering for 26 years, free of charge, to our residents, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of it. If the condition of a blanket is allowed to deteriorate, there is a risk it could become faulty, posing a danger of injury or fire.

“Blankets and throws might fail a safety assessment for many reasons, and even quite new blankets can fail. This is why it’s important to have them regularly tested at one of our free annual events.

“We know electric blankets might not be top of your summer to-do list, but now is the perfect time to make sure yours is safe for winter.”

Appointments can be booked by visiting electric blanket testing, calling 01865 895999 (option three) or emailing duty.officer@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

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The warning follows a series of Oxfordshire County Council trading standards’ investigations into the supply and sale of illegal tobacco products from retail premises across the county.

Officers have found businesses repeatedly selling counterfeit and smuggled tobacco from retail premises, undermining legitimate traders and depriving public services of vital revenue.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: "We hear the concerns of residents who are worried about the changing face of some high streets and the impact organised criminality can have on local communities.

“The illegal tobacco trade is not victimless. It damages legitimate businesses, facilitates tax evasion, undermines public health measures and is frequently associated with wider criminality.

“Oxfordshire is not a soft touch. The council and its partners are committed to creating a hostile environment for individuals and organised crime groups who profit from illegal tobacco and launder the proceeds of their offending.”

Illegal tobacco is often linked to organised criminal groups, tax evasion, money laundering and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

Landlords are advised to:

• Carry out appropriate due diligence before granting a new tenancy
• Ensure there is a written tenancy or lease agreement in place
• Verify and retain identification documents for tenants
• Know exactly who is occupying the premises
• Know who is paying the rent and investigate where payments are made by someone other than the named tenant
• Seek legal advice before permitting assignments or subletting arrangements
• Include clear provisions allowing action to be taken where criminal activity is identified
• Respond promptly to concerns raised by trading standards, police or other enforcement agencies

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, said: " The overwhelming majority of landlords want to do the right thing and would be extremely concerned to learn that premises they own were being used for organised criminality. We encourage landlords to act quickly when concerns are raised.

“Where we inform a landlord that criminal activity is taking place from a property they own, we expect those concerns to be taken seriously and acted upon without delay. Failing to act after receiving clear warnings may expose landlords to significant legal and financial risks."

Criminal groups often try to hide their involvement by using “ghost” directors, front companies, informal tenancy arrangements or third parties to pay rent.

Illegal tobacco is often sold at pocket money prices and avoids the safety, packaging and health warning requirements designed to protect consumers

Anyone who suspects illegal tobacco is being sold in their community can report it anonymously via the illegal tobacco hotline on 0300 999 6 999 or online at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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An Oxford convenience store is set to have its alcohol licence revoked following a review by Oxford City Council’s licensing sub-committee brought about by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

At a hearing on Monday 27 July, councillors considered the licence held by Baweja Superstore, 334-335 Abingdon Road, Oxford, after being presented with evidence relating to the storage and supply of illegal tobacco, repeated breaches of tobacco display requirements, and concerns about the storage of fireworks at the premises.

After hearing representations from trading standards and the legal representative of the business, Oxford City Councillor James Taylor, chair of the licensing sub-committee, delivered the decision to revoke the premises licence.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for public health and inequalities, said: “I would like to thank our trading standards officers for their vigilance and dedication in protecting Oxfordshire residents and supporting legitimate businesses.

“This decision sends a clear message that illegal tobacco and other unlawful activity linked to licensed premises will not be tolerated. We will continue to support robust enforcement action against those who undermine public health, community safety and honest traders.”

The application from the county council’s trading standards team detailed a series of concerns identified during an inspection on 29 October last year. Officers seized 89 packs of illegal cigarettes, including 55 confirmed as counterfeit and 34 identified as non-duty paid.

Officers also found tobacco products on open display and fireworks stored in a manner described by the explosives officer as “very poor”.

Further evidence presented to the licensing committee included previous enforcement action involving Tamanpreet Singh, the sole director, premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor of Baweja Superstore.

This related to the supply of illegal vapes at another business in Windsor, which led to a prosecution, and the recent seizure of illegal tobacco products from a separate shop in Hertfordshire, where he was also the premises licence holder.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards operations manager, added: “I’m proud of the work our officers have done in this case, and we will continue to pursue those who undermine legitimate businesses and put consumers at risk. Businesses involved in the illegal tobacco trade can expect us to take firm action.”

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco can report it anonymously by calling 0300 999 6 999 or by visiting www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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Businesses and consumers across Oxfordshire are being warned about the risks of buying and selling counterfeit toys after the county council’s trading standards team seized a number of fake items during a recent inspection.

The team found fruit shaped squishy stress relievers and squeeze balls that were missing vital labelling information. Products marketed as NeeDoh Nice Cubes were also seized as counterfeit copies of the popular toy.

The seized toys were not labelled with the details of a UK manufacturer or importer.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, said: “Toys that are untraceable, with no UK manufacturer or importer details, mean there is no one to take legal responsibility for the product.

“These items often bypass mandatory safety testing and have been found to contain dangerous substances such as phthalates and benzene. If a toy cannot be traced back to a responsible UK business, it should not be on sale.

“We are reminding retailers that they must carry out proper checks on the products they stock and make sure toys have the correct markings, warnings and manufacturer or importer details.”

All toys sold in the UK should be labelled with:

• UKCA or CE safety markings
• Details of a UK manufacturer or importer, including name and address information
• Clear warnings and instructions

Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “It can be really easy as a parent to be drawn into buying a bargain toy for our children, especially as we try to keep up with the latest trends. But sometimes these can be too good to be true. Fake toys can lack important safety features and information that are required by law and, in some cases, could be harmful.

“We would urge parents and carers to check toys carefully before buying, particularly from unfamiliar sellers or online marketplaces, and to report anything they are worried about so our trading standards team can investigate.”

Anyone who has concerns about toys they have purchased or seen on sale can contact trading standards by calling the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

Details of how to spot a fake NeeDoh can be found online.

Information on product safety alerts and recalls for toys and other consumer goods can be found on the Office for Product Safety and Standards’ website.

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An Oxford man has been fined more than £2,000 after pleading guilty to several tobacco offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Sami Shridi, 47, of Marshall Road, Oxford, pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates' Court on Friday 24 July to offences under tobacco legislation relating to waterpipe products, commonly known as shisha.

The court imposed fines totalling £506, a victim surcharge of £202 and prosecution costs of £1,625, making a total of £2,333 payable by Mr Shridi.

It also ordered the forfeiture of all seized tobacco products.

The prosecution followed an inspection of Thirst Bar, Park End Street, Oxford, where Mr Shridi operated a shisha business in the garden area.

During a visit in March 2025, officers seized more than eight kilograms of illegal shisha tobacco, which failed to comply with legal packaging requirements and was non-duty paid.

Officers found containers of tobacco products that did not carry the required health warnings and referred to smells or flavourings, which is prohibited by law.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: "Tobacco products are heavily regulated for good reason. Health warnings, prohibitions on flavours and restrictions on advertising all exist to protect public health and reduce the harm caused by smoking.

“These rules are there to protect people, and this case shows why it is important that businesses take their responsibilities seriously.”

The investigation also identified social media posts from the bar promoting tobacco products, which has been prohibited in the UK for many years as part of measures to reduce smoking and protect public health.

Trading standards had previously provided written and face-to-face advice to Mr Shridi on tobacco legislation and compliance following earlier seizures in 2019 and 2020.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, added: “Businesses that choose to ignore these requirements gain an unfair advantage over those who comply with the law. We were particularly concerned that detailed advice had already been provided on the same issues, yet non-compliant products continued to be supplied and promoted. We will continue to investigate and take action where businesses fail to meet their legal responsibilities."

Trading standards is responsible for enforcing a range of tobacco legislation, including laws relating to advertising, packaging and health warnings.

Anyone with information about the sale of illicit or non-compliant tobacco and nicotine products can report it anonymously by calling 0300 999 6 999 or visiting www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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People are being encouraged to help drive out organised crime by reporting vehicles used as mobile storage for illegal tobacco to Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

This comes after recent multi agency operations uncovered two such vehicles, with illegal tobacco seized from both.

Parked vehicles, also known as ‘stash cars’, are increasingly being used by criminals to store counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco. They are typically left near local shops, allowing sellers to replenish stock in small amounts and avoid detection during trading standards inspections.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities said: “The sale of illegal tobacco disadvantages legitimate local businesses, undermines efforts to reduce smoking and funds wider organised crime gangs.

“Unregulated counterfeit products also pose a heightened health risk, as they bypass strict safety standards on fire safety and are often sold cheaply to children by criminals who do not care about age restrictions.”

Signs that a vehicle may be a ‘stash car’ include:

• Frequent and brief visits by individuals retrieving small bags or packages from the vehicle
• Vehicles parked for long periods near local convenience stores or vape shops that are regularly approached by staff
• Transactions taking place directly from the window or boot of a parked vehicle
• Vehicles that appear abandoned on private land, untaxed or without a valid MOT

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, added: “If you see suspicious activity around vehicles near local shops, please tell us what you know. You can tell us anonymously. Your report can directly help keep our community safe and stub out the sale of these illegal products.”

Members of the public are urged not to confront suspected sellers, but to report any suspicious vehicle activity, including the make, model, registration number and location.

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products should call 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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A barber shop owner and his company have been fined after being caught selling illegal vapes, despite a previous warning from Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Govand Ismaili, 29, Director of Govand Kurdish Barbers Ltd, which runs the shop in Abingdon, pleaded guilty to four offences at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 15 May 2026 following a trading standards led investigation.

The court heard that, despite a warning issued after 484 illegal vapes were seized in September 2024, an undercover trading standards officer was sold an illegal vape in January 2025. More were then found hidden at the shop during a follow up inspection in February 2025.

The illegal vapes contained 10.8ml of nicotine liquid, well above the 2ml legal limit for disposable e-cigarettes, and the packaging did not meet the required standards.

Mr Ismaili and his company were fined £2,264, ordered to pay the council’s costs of £2,202 and a victim surcharge of £904.

He was also banned from acting as the director of a limited company for three years.

Councillor Judith Edwards, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Community Wellbeing and Safety, said: “We are committed to protecting residents, particularly young people, from the risks linked to illegal vapes. Businesses that continue to break the law, even after clear warnings, can expect us to act. We will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute where necessary, and we encourage anyone with concerns to report them so we can keep our communities safe.”

All the seized products were disposable vapes, which were banned from sale in the UK in June 2025.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, said: “We know that there has been a lot of public concern about the rising number of high street shops involved in the sale of vapes. As this prosecution shows we are taking firm steps to deal with any such businesses involved in the sale of illegal vapes.

“Since 2021, in Oxfordshire our officers have seized over 16,000 illegal vapes following dozens of inspections at premises like this. In addition, we have carried out multiple test purchases in stores targeting the sale of vapes to children, leading to prosecutions.”

Anyone with information about the sale of illegal disposable e-cigarettes or underage sales can email trading.standards@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

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Thousands of counterfeit cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco have been seized after Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team revisited premises already under investigation.

The action took place on the evening of Friday 1 May following raids at the same locations earlier in the year. The efforts form part of Operation CeCe, a national initiative funded by HMRC and led by National Trading Standards to tackle the illegal tobacco trade.

Earlier that same day, the director of one of the companies linked to the premises had been interviewed under caution. Despite this, when officers returned, they found more illicit tobacco hidden.

In total, 5,900 counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and 950 grams of hand rolling tobacco were confiscated.

The latest seizure follows raids in March, when officers found more than 13,000 illicit cigarettes, almost nine kilograms of illegal tobacco products, nicotine pouches and single use vapes at seven locations across Cowley and Headington.

The two premises in question were revisited after evidence suggested the illegal activity was continuing.

Investigations are ongoing. The businesses could face criminal prosecution, financial penalties and licence reviews.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “We hear people’s concerns about the changing face of their high streets and the rise of shops used as fronts for crime. Our message is simple: stop funding organised crime. Every time someone buys counterfeit cigarettes, the money helps criminal activity take hold in our communities.”

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards Operations Manager, added: “Despite previous enforcement action and clear warnings, some businesses are still willing to take the risk. These latest seizures show we are even more determined to act whenever and wherever necessary, including late at night and over bank holiday weekends, to protect our communities.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco can call 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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The case, involving seizures of illegal vapes at Matean Market, 128 Hollow Way, Oxford, was heard at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Monday 27 April.

Shafiullah Malikzadeh, 38, of Northampton, was found by the court to have been the owner of Matean Market in 2024 and was subsequently convicted of all eight offences.

He was ordered to pay £3,000 in fines, a £1,200 victim surcharge and costs of £4,755.50, making a total of £8,955.50.

The court heard that trading standards officers tried several times to meet with Mr Malikzadeh in 2023 to provide advice on tobacco and related products, but he failed to attend a meeting and did not respond to other requests.

Officers subsequently inspected the premises on one May 2024, seizing 32 unit packs of vapes which contained nicotine containing liquid of up to five times the maximum permitted level.

Mr Malikzadeh was offered the opportunity to attend a meeting and to voluntarily surrender the seized items but again failed to respond. As a result, two more covert test purchases were attempted on 31 May 2024, and illegal vapes were sold on each occasion. A further inspection on 18 June 2024 resulted in more illegal vapes being seized.

After failing to respond to a request to attend an interview under caution, he was sent a questionnaire to his home address, and a copy was hand delivered to the shop. This resulted in legal proceedings being instituted.

At court, Mr Malikzadeh, who represented himself, denied that he was the owner of the business at the time and claimed the response to the questionnaire had not been sent by him.

He could not explain why three separate letters sent by officers to his home address had not been received and claimed documents found at the shop, purporting to show he was the owner, were false.

However, the court found that, on the weight of evidence, it was satisfied he was the owner at the time of the offences.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards operations manager, added: “Shockingly, this is now the eighth different person who has been prosecuted in connection with activities at Matean Market. We will continue to relentlessly pursue anyone involved in the illegal tobacco and vape trade.”

Matean Market is now under new ownership and at its last inspection was in full legal compliance.

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

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Carried out on 29 and 31 March, the team visited seven shops across Cowley and Headington, accompanied by specialist tobacco detection dogs.

Also seized were 123 units of nicotine pouches and 51 single use vapes, with the total street value of the haul was approximately £7,500.

Investigations are ongoing, with premises facing potential criminal prosecution, additional sanctions, including civil financial penalties, and licensing reviews. 

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety: “There is no such thing as a safe cigarette, but it is still very concerning that counterfeit versions are so widely available, sold at pocket money prices by criminals who don’t care who they sell to. Thank you again to our brilliant team for their work.

“We know it can be hard to stop smoking, but help is available to anyone living in Oxfordshire. People are three times more likely to successfully stop by using a service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. It’s free to everyone living in the County”.

The raids formed part of Operation CeCe, a national initiative to tackle the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products, funded by HMRC through a partnership with National Trading Standards. 

Individuals suspected of having no legal right to work in the UK were also identified and trading standards is liaising with Immigration Enforcement.

Davina Walkin, Oxfordshire County Council's, Trading Standards Operations Manager added: “The public can help us to create a healthier and safer Oxfordshire by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity, anonymously if preferred, using our hotline. The illegal tobacco criminality is relentless at the moment - but so are we.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.  

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The Warm Homes Local Grant, a scheme run by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with Welcome the Warmth, is designed to help eligible households improve the energy efficiency of their homes, reducing heating costs and improving comfort, particularly for those on lower incomes and living in less energy efficient properties.

Improvements include insulation, low carbon heating, and solar panels, depending on eligibility and property type.

The scheme is fully funded by the government, meaning residents who qualify do not have to pay for the measures covered by the grant.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Everyone deserves a warm, comfortable home that’s affordable to heat. The Warm Homes Local Grant is helping Oxfordshire residents lower their energy bills, improve their health and comfort, and cut carbon emissions at the same time.

“By fully funding measures such as insulation, low carbon heating and solar panels, this scheme is supporting households through the cost of living pressures while also helping us take practical action on climate change.”

The county council’s trading standards team is also taking the opportunity to remind residents to stay aware, as some individuals may attempt to take advantage of the situation through unsolicited doorstep visits or pressure-based sales approaches.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety, said: “The Warm Homes Local Grant can make a real difference to people’s lives – helping households stay warm, reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions, all at no cost to eligible residents.

“But it’s vital that people feel safe and confident. We want to be absolutely clear: the council will never cold call you about this scheme, or any other for that matter. If someone turns up at your door or contacts you out of the blue claiming to be linked to a council grant, please don’t feel under any pressure to engage. We can confirm whether a company is genuinely connected to the scheme, and keep a close oversight of all approved and associated businesses, and can provide independent reassurance whenever needed.”

All installers working on the scheme are subject to a rigorous vetting and onboarding process, including checks on qualifications, accreditations, insurance, health and safety standards and customer satisfaction. Installers are not permitted to use the scheme to upsell additional work, and strong quality assurance checks are in place.

There are three steps residents are urged to take to protect themselves when dealing with cold callers:

• Never agree to home improvement work on the doorstep
• Never hand over personal or financial details to cold callers
• Take time to check and verify information independently – the council’s retrofit team can assist with this 

Residents who think they may be eligible are encouraged to find out more and apply directly through official channels. Find out more about the scheme by visiting the council’s website or by contacting the retrofit team on retrofit@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Concerns about cold callers, misleading claims or suspected fraud should be reported to Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standard

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A company and its director have been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Arafh Aliammad, 42, of Eldon Court, Glasgow, the owner and director of Empire Barber 2 Ltd, 15 Oxford Road, Kidlington, pleaded guilty to all offences on behalf of himself and the company at a hearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 13 March.

Mr Aliammad and the company were ordered to pay £2,936.95 in fines and costs, bringing the total to £5,873.90.

The court heard that trading standards officers inspected the premises on 21 January 2025, seizing 59 unit packs of nicotine pouches and a numbered display of 30 dummy boxes of illegal electronic cigarettes, or vapes. The display created the impression that the products could be legally sold when they could not.

Officers also identified an open display of tobacco products, which is prohibited by law, and found that no A3 tobacco warning notice was displayed, despite this being a legal requirement. The business had previously received written advice from trading standards on similar issues in 2024.

In mitigation, Zee Raja, representing Mr Aliammad, told the court that his client had learned from this experience and was committed to ensuring he did not appear before the court again.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Illegal tobacco and nicotine products have no place on our high streets. Our trading standards officers work tirelessly to protect residents from products that are unsafe, unregulated and highly addictive, and this case shows that we will take robust action where the law is ignored.”

Mr Aliammad is also due to appear before Reading Magistrates’ Court on 25 September 2026 in relation to allegations of illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences committed at a different premises in Oxford, which he denies.

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, added: “Our trading standards officers will continue to take firm and proportionate action to disrupt the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products. Where businesses ignore the law or fail to act on previous advice, we will not hesitate to step in to protect the public.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and nicotine products should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.

More information

Nicotine is highly addictive. Nicotine pouches are not currently age-restricted and, unlike vapes, there is no bespoke legislation limiting their nicotine content. A Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) study (May 2024) showed that 18 per cent of the surveyed male players and 22 per cent of the female players use nicotine pouches.

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Yummy Thai Restaurant Ltd and its director, Ms. Yook Ling Chong, of 8 Newbury Street, Wantage, faced enforcement action when a test purchase detected an undeclared allergen in food offered to customers.

During a routine allergen check on 15 November 2024, a trading standards officer told the restaurant about their soya and sesame allergies before buying a vegetable pad thai and spring rolls. Both dishes were sent for testing.

Laboratory analysis found 618mg of soy protein in the combined sample, which is much higher than the safe limit of 10mg.

After reviewing the test results, officers visited the premises on 8 May 2025. They discovered that ingredients used in dishes – including spring rolls, which were labeled as containing soya, sesame, and wheat – were missing from the allergen matrix and had not been disclosed to consumers.

At a hearing on 6 March 2026, Ms Chong pleaded guilty to selling food that did not meet purchasers' requirements under Section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

Ms Chong received a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £26 victim surcharge. The company was also fined £1,000, plus a £400 victim surcharge and £1,505.20 in council costs.

The company has also now revised its allergen matrix.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said, said: “This is a situation that could have had disastrous and even deadly consequences, which were fortunately avoided.

“Our trading standards team in its brilliant work securing this prosecution serves as a reminder to other businesses that they need to take their allergen management responsibilities seriously.”

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Food businesses have a legal and moral responsibility to protect customers with food allergies. Even small amounts of undeclared allergenic ingredients can have dangerous and potentially life threatening consequences for some people. This case demonstrates why robust allergen controls must be in place in every food business.

“We continue to conduct test purchases to ensure food businesses comply with food labelling legislation, including allergen information and take appropriate steps to safeguard consumers.”

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Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and early death and is a major driver of health inequalities.

The new Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy (2026 - 2030) brings together partners across health, local government, and the voluntary sector with a shared ambition to continue work to make Oxfordshire a smokefree county - defined as smoking prevalence below five per cent.

Launched to coincide with No Smoking Day, which was marked on 11 March, the strategy focuses on five key areas: working in partnership, preventing uptake, supporting smokers to quit, creating smokefree environments, and regulation and enforcement. Together, these aim to protect children and young people, support people who want to stop smoking, and ensure everyone can live healthier lives free from the harms of tobacco.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our new Tobacco Control Strategy sets out a clear, ambitious plan to help people in Oxfordshire stop smoking and to prevent the next generation from ever starting.

“Tobacco use continues to drive unfair health inequalities across our communities, and tackling it is central to our commitment to improving public health. By working with our partners and supporting residents to quit, we can move closer to a smokefree Oxfordshire.”

The strategy builds on previous progress in reducing smoking rates locally, while recognising that continued action is needed to support those most affected by smoking‑related harm, including people living in more deprived communities and those with long‑term health conditions.

There is a wealth of free local support available to help smokers take the first step towards quitting, including expert advice and stop smoking aids, through the county council’s local stop smoking service, SmokeFree Oxfordshire.

Find out what support is available to quit for good by visiting SmokeFree Oxfordshire’s website, freephone 0800 772 3673 or texting QUITOXON to 66777.

The Oxfordshire Tobacco Control Strategy 2026 to 2030 is available to read in full on the county council’s website.

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Mr Grzegorz Seczkowski, 41, from Abingdon, who traded as GNA Car Sales Ltd, was found to have lowered the mileage on six vans prior to selling them to unsuspecting customers.

He bought vans at auction and clocked them before selling them through the AutoTrader website and from his forecourt. By selling the vans with reduced mileage he made an additional profit over their true worth of £20,000.

A key element of the scam involved Mr Seczkowski buying high‑mileage former fleet or rental vehicles that were under three years old – meaning they had not yet undergone an MOT and their mileage was not centrally recorded.

This enabled him to roll back the vehicles’ mileage to just above their last service records, despite them having been driven up to 22,000 additional miles, allowing him to market them as low mileage vehicles with maintained service histories.

At a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on 3 February 2026, Mr Seczkowski was sentenced to 18 months custody, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay £2,529 in compensation to his customers and £5,000 towards the council’s costs.

GNA Car Sales Ltd was also fined £2,000 and both Mr Seczkowski and GNA Car Sales Ltd will have to pay a victim surcharge. A deprivation order in respect of a clocked van seized by trading standards as part of the investigation was also made.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said, said: “Vehicle clocking misleads customers making a significant financial decision, with false claims leaving them frustrated, out of pocket and potentially even in danger. These vans were being sold to people who rely on them to earn a living, so breakdowns or high repair bills can have a significant impact on their lives.

“Dishonest trading of this kind undermines people’s confidence when buying a second hand vehicle, making the process more stressful and creating unnecessary difficulties for legitimate traders.

“Our trading standards team is here to protect Oxfordshire residents from rogue traders like Mr Seczkowski and will take similar action against anyone found to be engaging in offending of this nature.”

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "We are extremely grateful to those organisations that supported us in this case.

"Anyone purchasing a second hand vehicle can check the mileage recorded during each MOT test for free on the GOV.UK website. If a vehicle regularly covers a significant number of miles each year and then suddenly shows only a very small increase, this can indicate that the vehicle has been clocked. Unless the seller can provide a clear explanation for the reduced mileage, we would recommend caution.

“There are also companies that, for a fee, will check a vehicle for mileage discrepancies, undeclared accidents or insurance claims, or whether it has been stolen. These can be useful tools when researching a vehicle’s history before buying.”

Residents with concerns about similar activity can report it using the national consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

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Nearly 8,000 counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes were seized from a shop on Cowley Road in Oxford, following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

The raid netted 7,740 cigarettes, 5.85kg chewing tobacco, 4.2kg waterpipe tobacco, 800g hand rolling tobacco, and 77 unit packs of nicotine pouches, the majority of which were hidden above a ceiling tile. The total street value of the haul was approximately £5,000.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “This operation sends a clear message that we will not tolerate illegal tobacco in Oxfordshire. These items not only undermine public health but are often tied to serious criminal activity. Thank you to our brilliant team for their work in tackling this tackling the issue.”

The action was part of Operation CeCe, a national initiative to tackle the sale and supply of illegal tobacco products, funded by HMRC through a partnership with National Trading Standards. 

An investigation has now been launched with those responsible facing potential criminal prosecution and additional civil sanctions including financial penalties.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, added: “The majority of this seizure was discovered hidden above a loose ceiling tile. However, it was spotted by one of our eagle eyed officers, who are highly trained in identifying the telltale signs of these concealments. My message to those who continue to sell illegal tobacco: expect us.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously or visit https://stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk/share-information

More information

Photos shows ceiling concealment, total seizure and an example of the counterfeit cigarettes seized. Please note: Marilyn Monroe is not an official pictorial health image.

Shops cannot be named while investigations are ongoing.

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. The service is free to everyone living in the county

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A company and its former director have been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team. 

Yadgar Ghafour, 38, of Phillip Street, Chester, former owner and director of Khalifa Super Store Ltd of 120 Cowley Road, pleaded guilty to all offences at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 28 November and was ordered to pay £3,907.24 in fines and costs. 

The current owner and director, Muhemed Hussain, 54, also pleaded guilty to all offences on behalf of the company, which must pay £17,616.24 in fines and costs.

The court heard that trading standards officers inspected the premises on 1 May 2024, seizing 160 cigarettes, 35 packs of shisha tobacco, 865 vapes and 122 unit packs of nicotine pouches. The vapes and shisha were found by a detection dog in compartments sealed with electromagnets, which officers had to force open.

Most of the nicotine pouches were not labelled in English, the tobacco products were smuggled, and the vapes contained up to nine times the permitted 2ml nicotine liquid capacity.

The director at the time, Marewan Salh, 51, of Ridgeway Avenue, Derby has been ordered to pay £2,000 in fines and costs at an earlier hearing.  

The company was then purchased by Mr Ghafour on 26 June 2024, and on 21 January 2025 officers inspected the premises again. They seized 121 unit packs of nicotine pouches that were either labelled in a language other than English or that did not have the required safety labelling information. 

Following two covert test purchases, officers inspected the premises again on 16 March 2025 when a further concealment was discovered built into the shelving units. Inside was 214 vapes of 10ml capacity and 125 vapes of 20ml capacity, 10 times the allowed limit.

Smuggled waterpipe tobacco was also identified and seized. 

The current owner and sole director of Khalifa Super Store Ltd, Mr Hussain, purchased the Company from Mr Ghafour on 21 March 2025.  The shop now trades as Khalifa Supermarket from the same address.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “I am pleased that our trading standards team has once again been able to remove illegal tobacco, nicotine pouches and vape products from our high streets. The work of our officers is vital for protecting residents and holding individuals and businesses accountable.”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, added: “We support honest businesses and do all we can to ensure the health, wellbeing and safety of all residents and visitors in the county. Our dedicated trading standards team acts swiftly and diligently against those who flagrantly flout the law. And, rest assured, it will continue to do so.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously.

More information

Nicotine is highly addictive. Nicotine pouches are not currently age restricted and, unlike vapes, there is no bespoke legislation limiting their nicotine content. 

A Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) study (May 2024) showed that 18 per cent of the surveyed male players and 22 per cent of the female players use nicotine pouches.

Photos can be used for publication: Shows concealment identified on 16 March.

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. The service is free to everyone living in the county

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Michael John Addison, 66, of Portland Place, Cheltenham appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Friday 7 November 2025, where he was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and ordered to pay £650 prosecution costs, after being caught within six months of receiving a two year suspended sentence for the same offences.

Addison was first apprehended in possession of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco at Kidlington market in a joint operation led by the county council’s trading standards team, the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit and Thames Valley Police in January 2022 and February 2023.

This led to a criminal conviction and a two-year suspended sentence, alongside 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also ordered to pay £400,000 within six months or face four years’ imprisonment, in addition to paying the council’s costs of £30,593.79.

Despite these penalties, Addison was apprehended again during a targeted operation in Kidlington in July 2024 and subsequently found guilty at trial in August 2025.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “It is deeply disappointing to see a repeat offender continuing to flout the law and put our communities at risk. Illegal tobacco is not only dangerous to health, but it also undermines legitimate businesses and fuels further criminal activity.

“This case highlights the vital work of our Trading Standards team, whose dedication and persistence have once again brought an offender to justice. I want to thank our officers for their relentless efforts in protecting Oxfordshire residents and ensuring that those who break the law are held accountable.”

Addison had previously been found guilty back in September 2023 for similar illegal tobacco and money laundering offences. He was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Selling illegal tobacco is a serious problem. It puts people’s health at risk and hurts honest businesses.

“Our Trading Standards team works hard to stop these crimes and protect our communities. I’m proud of their efforts in bringing repeat offenders to justice. If anyone knows about illegal tobacco being sold, please report it so we can keep Oxfordshire safe.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of any tobacco products should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously through the website: stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.  

More information

Michael Addison was previously sentenced at Oxford Crown Court in September 2023 for illegal tobacco and money laundering offences and was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment suspended for two years and 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

In his basis of plea, he accepted ‘converting criminal property’ by funnelling a sum of more than £155,000 through two Lloyds bank accounts in his name.

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products, but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service such as Smokefree Oxon.

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Residents are being encouraged to check their electric blankets for signs of wear and age after recent testing sessions by Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team found that more than one in three failed safety tests.

A total of 920 electric blankets were tested at ten events across the county between 22 September and 10 October, an increase of nearly 200 compared to the previous year.

Of those tested, 338 failed safety assessments - a failure rate of 36.7 per cent, which is an increase from last year.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in making this important annual event such a success.

“This is something we have been offering for 26 years, free of charge, to our residents, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of it. If the condition of a blanket is allowed to deteriorate, there is a risk it could become faulty, posing a danger of injury or fire.

“These results highlight the importance of taking simple precautions to ensure everyone’s safety during the colder months. Some blankets may appear safe visually, but a professional check can help to identify hidden faults.”

People with electric blankets can also get advice on carrying out checks at home by visiting Electric Safety First’s website. If in doubt about the safety of a blanket, it should not be used.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, said: “Blankets and throws might fail a safety assessment for many reasons, and even quite new blankets can fail. This is why it’s important to have them regularly tested at one of our free annual events.

“The general advice is to replace blankets more than 10 years old - in one case, our team inspected a blanket that was over 60 years old - and to check them before use for exposed or bunched wires, wear and tear, or other damage.”

Electric blankets can be disposed of at any of the county council’s waste recycling centres.

Trading Standards were supported at these events by colleagues from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, city and district councils, Age UK, Oxfordshire Citizens Advice, Electrical Safety First, and other local volunteer groups and agencies. The Oxfordshire Volunteer Drivers Service also helped to collect and return blankets for those unable to travel to testing sites.

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After quitting her forty year smoking habit, outdoors loving Angela Face is celebrating another achievement – climbing Snowdon for the first time!

Following her experiences of taking part in Oxfordshire County Council’s Allen Carr’s Easway (ACE) stop smoking pilot, the Henley resident is encouraging others to take advantage of other local stop smoking services and quit for good.

Angela, who is 53 years old, first started smoking aged just 13 following a family move to Scotland.

She explained: “It wasn't due to peer pressure as most people would assume. It was something that I did on my own and in secret. I started as a bit of a rebellion to my parents as they were quite strict. I would use my dinner money to buy them and hide them outside.

"It was a desire for some control, but little did I know of course that the cigarettes would end up controlling me!”

She admitted she’d previously tried to quit about six or seven times unsuccessfully, being motivated by her own children’s dislike of the habit.

“They would turn away from me if I gave them a hug, because of the smell – I hated that. And my kids being grown up now and the possibility of having grandchildren, I didn’t like the thought of smoking around them.

“I’d tried all sorts in the past – lozenges, patches, tablets but each time I went back to smoking.”

Not wanting to give up on giving up, Angela discovered the council’s pilot through a Facebook ad. After giving her details, she was contacted by a member of the team who booked her onto a seminar.

The method she undertook focuses on the mental element of the addiction and looks to change a person’s mindset to addiction.

It is just one of a range of stop smoking options that was on offer to Angela by the council’s local stop smoking service.

“It made me realise that smoking was controlling me, my life. While people think smoking can help with stress, it was in fact the total opposite, I was more stressed thinking about when I could have my next cigarette. It was as though I’d been brainwashed into thinking I needed a cigarette.

“Once I managed to change my mindset, and break out of the habit, it was easy. There’s been no cravings or anything. It’s just been crazily easy.”

Since quitting last September, Angela is already reaping the benefits, feeling fitter than ever before, and enjoying more freedom. She even noticed that she’s become more productive at work.

“I get much more done in my work day now. I'm being more productive rather than ducking out for a cigarette every half an hour. I was the only smoker in my  team and I probably lost quite a lot of hours, to be honest.

“I feel amazing too. The healthiest I’ve been in a long time.

“I climbed Snowdon for the first time this year. I work with young people, and they climb it every year. I’d avoided it until this year as I thought I’d be huffing and puffing at the back. But this year it was my goal to finally climb the mountain.”

For those thinking of quitting, Angela has this to say: “It’s worth doing, if you want to do it. Don't worry if you'll fail. Normally I would have felt so embarrassed but the support team during the pilot was amazing and just encouraged me to try do it again.”

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Angela’s lovely story is just one of many that highlight the difference that quitting smoking can make not just on personal health, but on your day to day life.

“It’s great we were able to offer the pilot here in Oxfordshire. By reframing smoking, it empowers individuals to reclaim control, proving that the journey to quitting is as much about self-discovery as it is about breaking a habit.

“There’s so much to gain from quitting smoking. It’s clear that for Angela, climbing Snowdon wasn’t just a physical achievement, it was a symbol of newfound freedom and possibility that quitting unlocked.

“Her experience shows that with the right mindset, support and guidance, what once seemed daunting can become not only achievable, but surprisingly simple. I am so pleased for Angela, and I hope her story inspires others to quit.

“Stopping smoking with support means you are more likely to quit for good. There are plenty of other ways our stop smoking service can help you – free of charge.”

Oxfordshire County Council commissioned a two phase pilot of ACE and is currently evaluating the outcome of the programme. 

The council’s free stop smoking service, Smoke Free Oxon also provides a range of support services to help residents quit, including aids, coaching and more. Find out more by visiting Smoke Free Oxon’s website, by calling 0800 772 3673, or text QUITOXON to 66777.

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An illegal tobacco trader has been ordered to pay £400,000 after being caught in action again by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service within six months of receiving a two year suspended prison sentence.

Michael Addison, 65, of Portland Place, Cheltenham appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday 2 September for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.  

Addison has been repeatedly caught in possession of fake cigarettes and smuggled hand rolling tobacco. He was caught at Kidlington market in a joint operation led by the county council’s trading standards team, the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) and Thames Valley Police, in January 2022 and then again in February 2023. This resulted in criminal conviction and a two year suspended sentence with 300 hours of unpaid work. 

He was then caught again in July 2024 and found guilty at trial in August this year. 

He will be sentenced for criminal offences on 7 November.

The confiscation order requires Addison to pay £400,000 within six months or face four years’ imprisonment in default. 

He must also pay the council’s costs of £30,593.79.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Our trading standards officers and financial investigator have carried out thorough investigations to ensure the defendant did not benefit from their criminal activity. The outcome of this case should be a stark warning to others that the sale of illegal tobacco will not be tolerated in Oxfordshire and that robust action will be taken by our officers.”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, said: “This investigation began due to intelligence received from a member of the public. We encourage anybody with information about the illegal sale of any tobacco products to contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously through Stop Illegal Tobacco’s website.”

More information

Michael Addison was previously sentenced at Oxford Crown Court in September 2023 for illegal tobacco and money laundering offences and was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment suspended for two years and 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

In his basis of plea, he accepted ‘converting criminal property’ by funneling a sum of more than £155,000 through two Lloyds bank accounts in his name.

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service including  Smokefree Oxon.

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An illegal tobacco trader was caught in possession of counterfeit cigarettes by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service only six months after receiving a two year suspended prison sentence for similar illegal tobacco and money laundering offences. 

Michael Addison, 65, of Portland Place, Cheltenham appeared at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Monday 28 July, where he was found guilty of five charges relating to the possession of fake cigarettes and smuggled hand rolling tobacco. 

The court heard that in April 2024, Addison was caught in Kidlington with a bag containing cigarettes and tobacco on the back seat of his car together with a notebook detailing sales records. This was part of a joint operation led by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team, the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) and Thames Valley Police. 

At interview under caution Addison claimed the cigarettes had been bought for his personal use, whereas the hand rolling tobacco was for somebody else who had approached him to "see what he could do as a one off". He confirmed the notebook did relate to tobacco sales but claimed it was "from years ago". 

Sentencing will be held at Oxford Crown Court on 26 August. 

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “While there is no safe level of smoking, there is also no way of knowing what is contained in unregulated and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco products, which could put your health at an even greater risk. 

“That is why our trading standards team will continue to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice.” 

Addison had previously been found guilty back in September 2023 for similar illegal tobacco and money laundering offences. He was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards, said: “This was an example of partnership working at its best. Thanks to the help given by SEROCU and Thames Valley Police, we have been able to catch a prolific offender targeting Oxfordshire again, who clearly may never have stopped.” 

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of any tobacco products should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously through the website: stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.  

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The owner of an Oxford off-licence, stripped of its premises licence earlier this year, appeared before Oxford Magistrates' Court on Friday 25 July charged with offences relating to illegal vapes and tobacco. 

Avtar Singh Lulpurwal, 45, who runs Uni Food & Wine in Park End Street, saw his business investigated by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team last November, after they received a report that the shop had been selling tobacco snus from Sweden. 

The court heard that on November 18 last year, trading standards officers seized 81 illegal vapes, some claiming to contain up to 15,000 puffs, and found tobacco products on open display. 

The statutory warning notice stating, "It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18", was also not displayed. 

Revisiting the premises on 17 December, officers discovered a unit pack of Siberia Extremely Strong tobacco snus, labelled in Swedish, on open display. Tobacco snus has been illegal to sell in the UK since 1992. 

Tobacco products were also again on open display and the statutory warning notice was still not displayed. 

Lulpurwal, of Oxford Road, Kidlington, pleaded guilty to all charges. He had previously pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court on 17 June after over 1,000 illegal vapes had been seized in total from two of his shops, including Uni Food & Wine. 

The council is also seeking to recover around £19,500 in proceeds of crime. Lulpurwal will be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on 15 November 2025. 

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “Thank you to all involved for all of their work and dedication in bringing this case to court. We will always pursue reoffenders, and it is disappointing that that yet again trading standards has been forced to resort to court action to protect the public.” 

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council's Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards said: "It's disappointing when a retailer does not learn from its mistakes. Our role is to educate and assist where we can but we don't shy away from taking enforcement action when it's necessary – to protect the public and honest businesses alike." 

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6999 to report it anonymously. 

More information

In March, Oxford City Council's licensing committee revoked Uni Food & Wine's premises licence to sell alcohol following an application from Trading Standards which was supported by the Police and Licensing due to a history of non-compliance with licensing objectives.

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It may be the middle of summer but it’s never too early to prepare for the cold winter nights, which is why residents are being encouraged to take advantage of free electric blanket testing later this year.

In 2024, of the 743 blankets tested, more than 30 per cent failed the safety test.

Sessions will be held by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards teams at locations across the county. The full address and a specific time slot will be provided at time of booking:

September 2025:

• 22 September: Rosehill, Oxford City
• 23 September: Henley on Thames, South Oxfordshire
• 24 September: Bicester, Cherwell
• 25 September: Chipping Norton, West Oxfordshire
• 26 September: Abingdon, Vale of White Horse

October 2025:

• 6 October: Risinghurst, Oxford City
• 7 October: Didcot, South Oxfordshire
• 8 October: Banbury, Cherwell
• 9 October: Witney, West Oxfordshire
• 10 October: Wantage, Vale of White Horse

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “If the condition of a blanket is allowed to deteriorate there is the possibility it could become faulty, risking injury and fire.

“In 2024, of the 743 blankets we tested, over 30 per cent failed, which shows just how important this important service remains.

“This is a free service we have been providing now for 26 years for anybody in Oxfordshire to take advantage of. It’s probably hard to think about the winter right now, but do book your appointment as soon as possible to avoid disappointment get yourself prepared.”

Spots can be prebooked by calling 01865 519800 (option 4), by emailing duty.officer@oxfordshire.gov.uk or by booking online.

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A former Oxford business owner has been fined for illegal tobacco and nicotine product offences following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team. 

The case, relating to a seizure from Khalifa Super Store of 120 Cowley Road, was heard at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 27 June.

Marewan Salh, 51, of Derby, the former owner and director of Khalifa Super Store Ltd, pleaded guilty to six offences and was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, victim surcharge of £400, and a contribution towards costs of £600. 

The court heard that trading standards officers inspected the premises on 1 May 2024, seizing 160 cigarettes, 35 packs of shisha tobacco, 865 vapes and 122 unit packs of nicotine pouches. Mr Salh was not present at the time. 

The vapes and shisha were discovered by a detection dog in concealments sealed shut by electromagnets and forced open by officers.

Most of the nicotine pouches did not have English labelling, while the tobacco products were smuggled and the vapes contained nicotine liquid of up to nine times the maximum 2ml capacity allowed.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “The detection dogs are highly trained and will not only sniff out tobacco but can also find vapes and cash too. Their expertise makes short work of even the most sophisticated of concealments.

“Thank you to the team for all their work in bringing this case to court. It shows that Oxfordshire’s trading standards team, working in partnership with other agencies, will continue to crack down on the sale of all these illegal products.”

The company, Khalifa Super Store Ltd, was also charged with six offences but this matter was adjourned as the new owner is currently abroad.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, added: “My team is committed to removing these illicit items from the High Street and creating a level playing field so that legitimate businesses can succeed.

“The use of sophisticated concealments, which can be difficult to detect, shows the lengths that criminals will go to. We will simply not tolerate this activity in Oxfordshire.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously.

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The case, relating to Oxford Shop of George Street, was heard at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 13 June.

Bashar Mizori, 53, sole director of Oxford Shop Ltd, pleaded guilty to eight offences and was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine (reduced by one third following an early guilty plea), victim surcharge of £400, and a contribution towards costs of £3,500.

He also pleaded guilty on behalf of his company, Oxford Shop Ltd, to eight offences and was fined £5000 (reduced by one third for an early guilty plea), a victim surcharge of £2000, and a contribution towards costs of £3,500.

The total to pay in this case amounted to £15,400. All seized items were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

Trading standards officers inspected the premises on 15 March 2024, seizing 800 cigarettes, 168 vapes and 326 unit packs of nicotine pouches. Mr Mizori was present at the time.

On 30 April 2024 a further covert test purchase was carried out and illicit cigarettes were purchased from the shop. As a result, more illegal vapes were confiscated the following day.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “Thank you to the team for all of their work in bringing this case to court. It shows that Oxfordshire’s trading standards team, working in partnership with other agencies, will continue to crack down on the sale of illegal products.

“People can help us to stamp out illegal tobacco and create a healthier and safer Oxfordshire by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity using the illegal tobacco hotline.”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, added: “This is our first completed case involving illegal pouches and, as we understand it, one of the first in the UK.  Nicotine is highly addictive, and some of the seized products claimed to have very high levels of nicotine content. 

“The majority were also not labelled in English, so had no instructions for safe use, or what to do if one was accidentally swallowed, which could lead to poisoning”.

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco and related items should contact 0300 999 6 999 to report it anonymously.

More information

Nicotine is highly addictive.  Nicotine pouches are not currently age-restricted and, unlike vapes, there is no bespoke legislation limiting their nicotine content.  A Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) study (May 2024) showed that 18 per cent of the surveyed male players and 22 per cent of the female players use nicotine pouches.

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. The service is free to everyone living in the county.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Ben Arthur Eltham, of Chalbar, Denchworth Road, Grove, near Wantage, had previously pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court of dishonestly entering into contracts for projects where he charged for materials he did not purchase and for failing to finish work. The work he did carry out was of poor quality.

He also began work on properties without the necessary applications according to building regulations and failed to have work inspected at the required stages, despite assuring clients that this had been done.

Eltham, 41, was sentenced on Friday 30 May to 40 months imprisonment.

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: The vast majority of Oxfordshire’s builders complete their work on time and to their customers satisfaction. When this is not the case and traders take money for inadequate work and misuse funds intended for materials before lying to their clients about why projects are delayed, then our trading standards works hard to give residents as much protection as possible from such rogue traders.”

At the time of the offences, committed between 2021 and 2023, Eltham was trading as Ben Eltham General Builder and JFE Building Contractor.

He was contracted to complete work for five customers, primarily in the Wantage area, on garage conversions, extensions and remodelling projects.

There was a distinct pattern to the projects undertaken by Eltham. Work initially progressed well but soon slowed, and it would become difficult for his customers to reach him.

His clients were given increasingly implausible reasons why no work was being carried out and, in some cases, the work was never finished years after starting.

Investigations found that instead of ordering materials and paying staff to carry out the work, Eltham was spending considerable amounts on gambling, holidays and social events.

Davina continued: “We always advise anybody looking for a reliable trader to get a number of detailed quotes, check with friends and family for trusted recommendations and consider a trading standards’ approved trader from our Buy With Confidence scheme.

“People should proceed with caution when agreeing payment for large scale building projects. Paying in instalments is entirely sensible but when the payment schedule is too heavily weighted towards the beginning of the work, as was the case with Mr Eltham, this can be a warning sign and can leave customers heavily out of pocket with little work completed.

“The same applies when making significant down payments for items like fitted kitchens and bathrooms, glazing and heating systems. Always ensure there is proof orders have been made to avoid incurring the expense of having to re-order if an unscrupulous trader uses the money to cover other spending.”

Any Oxfordshire resident that has concerns about activity of this nature should report it using the national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133

Mr David McCalium, formerly of Newbury, now Bicester, pleaded guilty to three charges of fraudulent trading, two charges of running a company while bankrupt and two charges of running a company in a name other than that on a bankruptcy order. 

He received a two years and six months’ custodial sentence and was disqualified from being a director of a company of eight years. An order of confiscation was also made, although no recoverable amounts have been identified.

Trading standards had received complaints from 12 members of the public about McCalium, who traded under Aspect Home Improvements, Home Aspect, DM Restorations and Glazing and Unique Property Developments.  

The investigation, which was supported by the National Trading Standards regional investigation team, found that considerable sums of money were paid for work ranging from replacement windows to house extensions, which were either partially completed to a poor standard or left uncompleted with the trader uncontactable. 

False statements were also made in relation to liaising with building control or other agencies, being members of trade associations and using false names. This caused the customers considerable distress and left them forced to pay out extra to get the partially completed work completed, often costing thousands of pounds.  

The customers were unaware that McCalium has been declared bankrupt and should not have been running a business.  

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety: “The vast majority of Oxfordshire’s builders complete their work on time and to their customers’ satisfaction. When this is not the case and traders take money for rushed bodge jobs, then our trading standards team are here to protect residents from the actions of rogue traders. 

“These customers have been left in a stressful situation and considerably out of pocket due to the actions of Mr McCalium and in some cases has taken years to put the situation right.” 

 Lord Michael Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said: “Mr McCalium’s actions have caused real harm to consumers – causing considerable distress as people were duped out of thousands of pounds – and undermined trust in honest and legitimate builders and businesses.  

“Cracking down on rogue traders like McCalium helps protect local communities and helps safeguard a level playing field for honest, law-abiding businesses. I hope this sentence sends a strong signal that these crimes will not be tolerated – and I urge local neighbourhoods to look out for each other and report any suspicious cases like this.” 

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “We advise anybody who is looking for a reliable trader to always get a number of detailed quotes, check with friends and family for trusted recommendations and consider a trading standards’ approved trader, from our Buy With Confidence scheme. 

“We would also advise that customers resist calls for payment ahead of when sums are due to be paid under the agreement they have with a trader and consider what work has been achieved before paying that sum.” 

Any Oxfordshire resident that has concerns about activity of this nature should report it to trading standards via the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133. 

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Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team is holding an event on 5 June between 10am and 3pm at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford for business owners to hand in all unsold products affected by the ban of single use vapes, which comes into force on 1 June.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Safety, said: “From next month it will be illegal for businesses to sell of supply what is commonly known as ‘disposable’ – or single use – vapes. These are products that cannot be refilled or reused.

“When discarded these vapes have been known to leak harmful substances, such as mercury, and microplastics into the surrounding environment, which can poison animals, damage the local eco system, and take hundreds of years to break down. They have also been known to cause fires when not safely disposed of.

“We want to help business owners not get caught out by the new law, and by providing these sessions we hope we can offer people a quick and easy way to return unsold stock, which we can safely dispose of in as environmentally friendly a way as possible.”

Those unable to attend on the 5 June can arrange an appointment to drop off products at trading standards’ offices in Oxford.

Anybody found to be selling or supplying single use vapes after 1 June can face criminal charges, including a heavy fine, a prison sentence, or both.

The legislation applies to all disposable vapes, including zero per cent nicotine varieties.

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The checks in February and March aimed to ensure pubs are complying with laws on serving alcoholic beverages.

Officers posed as the public and ordered wine, beer, or whisky at various venues across the county, which they then measured.

Of the drinks ordered, they found 12 of 16 glasses of wine, no pints of beer, and one of two shots of whisky were short measured.

Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said “Many people across the county enjoy a pint or a glass of wine in the pub with friends. However, it’s not a cheap commodity, and the inspection showed that customers could be losing out if it’s not served correctly.

“Ensuring that every pint of beer and glass of wine served in Oxfordshire pubs meets the required standards is crucial for maintaining customer trust and satisfaction. Our trading standards team is committed to making sure residents get exactly what they pay for."

The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 mandates that establishments selling alcoholic beverages must serve them in specified measurements. These include half pint and pint for beer, 125ml, 175ml, or 250ml for wine, and 25ml for spirits.

The average cost of a 175ml glass of wine purchased was £7.05, and 2.2 per cent short of a full glass, resulting in a potential loss to the consumer of up to 15p.

One glass of wine purchased was under by 13ml, meaning a potential loss of as much as 52p to the customer.

Businesses that served short measures were provided with guidance, and new measuring equipment was obtained where necessary.

Free support is available for people who would like to reduce their drinking through the council’s DrinkCoach service.

Anybody who is struggling with alcohol dependence can seek free specialist and confidential support from Turning Point. For referrals and queries, please call 01865 261690.

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Teams from eight schools took part in Oxfordshire County Council’s Consumer Challenge Quiz on 4 March at Unipart House, which teaches life skills and consumer knowledge through a fun, visual and hands on contest.

Each school was represented by a four member team, accompanied by a volunteer from Oxfordshire County Council. This year, Orion Academy emerged as the victorious school.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, said: “It’s very important that young people learn early about the challenges that they face from the risks as consumers, and how to deal with them. Trading standards in Oxfordshire has a long history; this particular event has been going for 30 years, and that shows the worth of it – schools are still turning up with their teams, and their supporters, to encourage them in what is a time of fierce competition. Both groups take away many lessons learnt in a new and exciting location.”

Schools that took part includes Bardwell School (Bicester), Bishopswood School (Sonning Common), Fitzwaryn School (Wantage), The Iffley Academy (Oxford), Kingfisher School (Abingdon), Mabel Prichard School (Oxford), John Watson School (Wheatley), Orion Academy (Oxford) and Springfield School (Witney).

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Safety, said: “This popular event is a great opportunity for young people to learn skills – from knowing what their rights are when they are buying products, to understanding the risks of products such as vapes and how to stay safe in the home – in a fun way, while working as a team.

“Congratulations to the winners, and all the schools who took part!”

A mascot competition for fellow students who are not members of their team is also included, which was won this year by Mabel Prichard School.

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Almost 10,000 counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine based products have been seized following a series of visits to retail premises by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Officers were accompanied by specialist tobacco detection dogs, which can sniff out contraband in concealments within till points or hidden in storerooms.

Premises involved included off-licences, convenience stores, food retailers and barbers in Banbury, Kidlington and Oxford.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 9,340 illegal cigarettes, 700g of counterfeit hand rolling tobacco, 180 unit packs of non-compliant nicotine pouches and 42 disposable electronic cigarettes, or vapes, with a capacity of nicotine containing liquid nine times the maximum allowed.

The total street value of the haul was approximately £5,000.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety: “Our trading standards team, working in partnership with other agencies, will continue to crack down on the sale of these illegal products and cause the maximum disruption possible to criminal networks.

“People can help us to stamp out illegal tobacco and create a healthier and safer county by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity using the illegal tobacco hotline.”

Other issues detected were:

• Two premises in breach of their licensing conditions.
• One premises with a concealment operated by electromagnets, although no illegal product was contained within it.
• Four premises with tobacco products on open display, whereas they must be out of sight of customers.
• Two premises with evidence of staff sleeping or living in store rooms, which was referred to other agencies.

Investigations are ongoing, with premises facing potential criminal prosecution, licence reviews and additional sanctions, including financial penalties.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, added: “We are serious about taking action whenever we find anyone selling illegal tobacco. Its sale undermines legitimate businesses in Oxfordshire and puts money into the hands of criminals.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

More information

It can be hard to stop using tobacco products, but help is available. People are three times more likely to successfully quit by using a stop smoking service like Smokefree Oxfordshire. The service is free to everyone living in the county.

Photo: The seized haul found by detection dog Billy.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team recently tested 15 popular items from outlets around the county to ensure they complied with rules relating to accurate calorie labelling.

Foods assessed included salads, sandwiches and pizza, with the vast majority of samples (13) having accurate labelling.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “The trading standards team has an exceptionally wide remit, but at its heart is helping to ensure customers are confident about the products they are purchasing, especially when it can have an impact on their health and wellbeing.

“This is just one small example of the team doing just that and helping to ensure that we can trust food standards and the claims made about the food we eat, from farm to fork.”

To be compliant, actual calorific content should be within 20 per cent of the claimed amount.

Two items were found to have inaccurate labelling, with the team and other local authorities working with both businesses to resolve the issues.

Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “While the sample size on this occasion was relatively small, consumers should feel reassured about the high levels of compliance with this important requirement. Calorie labelling, whether on menus or on food packaging, is used by many to help make choices about the food they eat and they must have trust in the accuracy of these claims.”

Large food businesses such as restaurants, pubs, and cafes with 250 or more employees are required by law to inform customers of the calories in the food they offer, normally by displaying them on their menus.

Calorie information is required to be made available either in person or online before a purchase is made.

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It comes as a shop in Banbury, where smuggled shisha tobacco and excess capacity vapes were seized, has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked.

Trading standards applied to review the premises’ licence of Banbury Express Food & Wine, 179 Warwick Road, Banbury at a special Cherwell District Council licensing sub-committee hearing on 10 October.

It came after a test purchase of shisha tobacco was made back in April, with the product being sold for nearly £10 less than the rate of duty. The labelling also contained none of the required health warnings and made a prohibited reference to a taste or smell. 

Shisha, nicotine pouches and vapes were seized in a follow-up visit in July. The unlawful vapes contained five times more than the maximum capacity of nicotine-containing liquid allowed.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety for Oxfordshire County Council said: “The premises’ licence was the subject of a review because previous advice had not been heeded. Our officers try to work with businesses and provide detailed advice to help them comply with the law but when that is ignored, it’s important that the appropriate action is taken to protect the public and other businesses that are trading lawfully.”

Cherwell District Council’s licensing sub-committee heard that trading standards had identified similar issues in 2021. The business had been given extensive verbal and written advice, which had not been followed.

Councillor Rob Parkinson, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “It’s crucial that businesses selling alcohol follow the law. The licensing system is a powerful tool for helping prevent crime and disorder and Cherwell District Council is committed to ensuring premises are not selling products that pose a risk to public safety.”

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or vapes should call 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

More information

Any person who made representations at the hearing has the right to appeal the decision by giving notice to the magistrates’ court within a period of 21 days beginning with the day upon which written notification of the determination was given, which was 14 October. 

 The decision to revoke the premises licence does not take effect until the appeal period has expired.

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Here in Oxfordshire, we’ve been watching the rise of popularity of nicotine pouches closely and with growing concern. As a result, we are already expanding our work on tackling the supply and perception of illegal tobacco and vapes to cover protecting our residents from non-compliant nicotine pouches and other similar products.

So far, much of the work by councils have been focused on illegal cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. Oxfordshire County Council has been keen to go further and seek to prevent the sale of non-compliant nicotine pouches as well.

Unlike similar tobacco pouches, commonly known as snus, nicotine pouches are a legal product. However, both on the high street and online, we are seeing a significant growth in illegal versions being sold locally and nationally – with incorrect labelling and product claims, and a lack of important safety information.

With limited regulatory controls covering these products, including no legal age restriction, they are often packaged in a child appealing way, referring to attractive features such as a range of flavours.

It is suspected that much of the growth in interest in these products, comes from social media ‘advertising’ and from influencers of young people.

A recent study commissioned by the Professional Footballers Association found that almost one in five male professional footballers are regularly using nicotine pouches and nearly half would like to quit.

In 2020, 34 percent of British adults had heard of them. By 2022 awareness had increased to 44 percent. The proportion of adults who had ever tried nicotine pouches was also significantly higher in 2022 (3.9 per cent) than in 2020 (2.7 per cent).

Nicotine pouches are also now being commonly sold in youth-centric settings like music festivals and, unsurprisingly, the use is increasing most among the younger demographic.

Tobacco-free nicotine pouches are a legal product, whereas tobacco pouches have been prohibited in the UK and most of Europe for many years. But some other  smokeless tobacco products such as gutka or paan masala are legal and are popular within Asian communities in the UK.

However, smokeless tobacco products (including snus) are often substantially cheaper than cigarettes, so prove an attractive alternative – regardless of their legal status.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team have been aware of this and are already taking significant action to tackle the sale of illegal products and, crucially, non-compliant tobacco-free nicotine pouches.

As part of the ongoing work of seizing illegal disposal vapes and other tobacco products, the team have expanded their work to include nicotine pouches.

Our work in this area is in its infancy, compared to illegal tobacco and vapes, but we have already seized 564-unit packs so far and that will undoubtedly rise as we continue to develop a better understanding of nicotine pouches, how and where they are sold, distribution chains and points of importation - and as the product becomes more popular.

The nicotine pouches we are seizing are non-compliant because they are often not labelled in English or do not comply with important safety labelling requirements. 

Samples sent for testing have also shown erratic nicotine contents of pouches from the same unit pack and nicotine claims on the packaging that are wildly different from their actual content – prompting concerns around a lack of quality control and responsibility by producers.

These non-compliant products often have far greater nicotine content, and the concern is that, given these products are not currently age-restricted, a child may be able to purchase them, not be able to follow the instructions for use because they are not in English or are just missing entirely and potentially ingest large amounts of nicotine.

Many of the non-compliant products seized have been alongside illegal tobacco and other nicotine products, with sellers attempting to avoid detection via elaborate ‘hides’ and hidden storage locations.

Although in most cases we would look to work with retailers around non-compliant products, providing advice and removing items from sale, due to the seriousness of this situation, we already have two criminal investigations underway that involve the sale of nicotine pouches – in these cases they have been seized alongside illegal tobacco, shisha and vapes.

Like vapes, it’s evident that nicotine pouches are becoming more popular in the UK, particularly with the younger demographic. So, it’s our duty to make sure that the products being sold adhere to current legal standards and it is for lawmakers to consider what new regulations and legal powers might be necessary.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team is warning people that rogue traders will see it as the perfect opportunity to take advantage of residents who have flood damage.

Many reputable traders will be booked up, so the advice is to be wary of traders who can arrive to start the work the following day and push for a quick agreement to use them.

Councillor Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Our trading standards team is keen to get across the message that people shouldn’t agree to offers of building work, home repairs or maintenance that come from a cold call. 

“Don’t be afraid to say no, don’t be pressured and check with others if the work is required and what is a fair price to pay. It really is a case of: ‘If it’s out of the blue, it’s not for you!’”

People should first check whether their insurance policy includes emergency assistance support. Most insurance companies will appoint their own tradespeople to carry out the work.

Where work is not covered by insurance, it might be tempting to hire the first person who offers to fix flood damage, especially if they claim to have worked for a neighbour. However, it's strongly recommended to avoid door to door services and get quotes from reputable traders.

Rogue traders may quote low prices but will soon demand more money and very often the work they claim needs doing is completely unnecessary.

The Buy with Confidence website helps Oxfordshire residents to find local traders who have been vetted and approved by trading standards to ensure that they operate in a legal, honest and fair way.

Top tips to help avoid unscrupulous traders:

• Avoid engaging anybody who calls unannounced offering their services.
• Check references and recommendations of traders and ask to see recent examples of completed work.
• If gas and or electrical work is involved, check they have the right qualifications and registrations.
  • Find or check a Gas Safe registered engineer in the area who can fit, fix and service gas appliances through the gas safe register.
  • Check electricians by visiting elelectricalcompetentperson.co.uk  
• Prepare a detailed description of the work needed.
• Meet with several prospective tradesmen. Check they have insurance – see proof.
• If a business is on a recommendation websites, look at how they assess traders who are on their site and how they deal with complaints
• Get at least three written quotes.
• Get a written contract, which should include:
  • The identity of the trader, their address and telephone number.
  • Details of costs and a payment schedule. Never pay the total amount up front and avoid paying cash. 
  • A timeframe for the work to be completed.
  • Details of what will happen with the rubbish to ensure it won’t be fly tipped or illegally dumped.
  • The identity and qualifications of any sub-contractors.
  • Details of any cancellation requirements, if applicable.

A contract should be signed before any work start and should include the total price for all work. Be weary and ask questions about any work that increases in price mid contract. Trading standards will mediate if a dispute arises.

Any Oxfordshire resident who has concerns about cold calling or potential scams or wants some pre contract advice can contact the Citizens Advice National Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or by visiting its website citizensadvice.org.uk.

For information about flooding, including details about flood recovery, please read the county council’s flood toolkit at oxfordshirefloodtoolkit.com. 

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In Oxfordshire, more than 1,000 people quit each year with the support of Oxfordshire County Council’s stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Stoptober is the perfect time to make a go of giving up cigarettes. No matter how long you’ve been smoking for, quitting is well worth it!

“Giving up smoking not only greatly benefits your physical health by making you feel fitter and reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, but it can also improve your mental wellbeing and save you money.

“We understand the challenges people face in their journey to give up smoking. That’s why there are tools and aids to support everyone in their journey to a smoke free life. Our Stop for Life Oxon service provides free support, which is proven to help people who want to quit smoking in Oxfordshire.”

Over 60,000 adults in Oxfordshire and over five million adults in England still smoke. Smoking causes 64,000 deaths a year, making it the biggest cause of preventable illness and death.

Research shows that people who smoke and give up for a whole month are up to five times more likely to stay smoke free for good.

The benefits of quitting start almost immediately including improved stress levels, feeling fitter and better taste and smell. In the long-term, quitting smoking can help someone to live longer, reduce their risk of disease and breathing problems, and save on average of £365 a month.

Nicotine replacement included vapes are available to help individuals through Stop for Life Oxon.

Find out what support is available by visiting Stop for Life Oxon’s website, freephone 0800 122 3790 or texting STOPOXON to 6077.

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As electric blanket tests are normally very popular, they must be booked in advance to be guaranteed.

Sessions will be held at locations across the county. The full address and a specific time slot will be provided at time of booking:

September 2024:

• 16 September: Oxford City
• 17 September: South Oxfordshire
• 18 September: Cherwell
• 19 September: West Oxfordshire
• 20 September: Vale of White Horse
• 30 September: Oxford City  

October 2024:

• 1 October: South Oxfordshire
• 2 October: Cherwell
• 3 October: West Oxfordshire
• 4 October: Vale of White Horse

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Safety, said: "If the condition of a blanket is allowed to deteriorate there is the possibility it could become faulty, risking injury and fire.

“The service has been provided free of charge to residents for 25 years, and remains as valuable as ever: in 2023, of the 769 blankets tested, over 35 per cent failed the safety test.

“We therefore want to ensure that electric blankets are still safe for use. It’s free to come along, and there’s also free refreshments while you wait. Make sure you book as soon as you can, it is better to be safe than sorry.”

Appointments can be booked by visiting electric blanket testing, calling 01865 895999 (option three) or emailing duty.officer@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

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In 2023/24 Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team found 52 per cent of samples tested for labelling failed to comply with food standards laws, while 13 per cent failed compositional tests.

The service regularly undertakes testing on food products to ensure that labelling is accurate, and products do not contain any harmful materials or undeclared allergens such as peanuts or milk.

A total of 90 samples were collected from over 40 business premises within the county and a few online businesses with 84 tested for labelling.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Safety, said: “Ensuring the safety and accurate labelling of food for its ingredients, nutritional content, and claims is crucial. Sometimes, it can literally be a matter of life or death."

"Whether intentional or not, an unreported allergen or misleading labelling can have severe consequences for both consumers and companies, making it crucial to understand and follow the laws.

“This is why I welcome testing by our brilliant Trading Standard team, who work with businesses to keep consumers safe.”

A range of foods were submitted including seasonings and spices for undeclared peanuts, milk for lead, canned vegetables for nutritional analysis, tea and rice for pesticides, flour for the mycotoxin ‘deoxynivalenol’, a variety of gluten free labelled foods for the presence of gluten, and canned fish for the presence of histamine.

Labelling issues identified included:

• Incorrect format of “best before end” durability dates
• The name of the food and the net weight not being in the same field of vision
• Instructions for use not being provided (instructions should be provided if consumers would find it difficult to use the food correctly without them)
• Incorrect nutrition declarations with higher than declared levels of carbohydrate, fibre and protein being found as well as incorrect energy calculations based on the declared nutrients
• General non-specific health claims being used without the support of an authorised health claim
• No name and address of a food business operator in Great Britain responsible for the food information
• Mandatory food information not provided in English

Jody Kerman, Head of Prevention, Protection and Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We are all vulnerable consumers when it comes to the food we buy, as we must trust the labelling and claims made.

“Trading Standards has an important role in testing products and monitoring the market to ensure that food is safe, accurately labelled, and that consumers are getting what they paid for.”

Where issues were identified, Trading Standards would either work with businesses to resolve any concerns or bring them to the attention of other local authorities or the Food Standards Agency as appropriate.

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Following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team, Harry Davies (28) of Braithwaite Close, Banbury and Ben Birch (45) of Steeple Aston were both sentenced at Oxford Crown Court to 45 months imprisonment for fraudulent trading.

Between March and September of 2021, Davies and Birch cold-called at the home of an elderly resident in Headington, Oxford, with offers to carry out work to their property, including gardening, guttering, fencing, widow replacement and the laying of new tarmac.

In total, Davies and Birch obtained payments totalling over £477,000.

However, the investigation by trading standards found that the work to the property had been poorly carried out and, in some cases, not completed at all.

Two independent surveyors identified that, if the work had been conducted to the correct standard, it was estimated to have cost less than £85,000.

In sentencing the pair, the judge said that this case had a host of distressing features and was a “shocking example of gross exploitation of a very vulnerable person”. 

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “These offences were carried out with significant planning and over a long period, with lasting impact on the victim and their family. The perpetrators displayed cynical attempts to win their victim’s trust and allay suspicion.  They could not have failed to appreciate they were vulnerable yet continued to prey on them. 

“I’m proud of the trading standards team in bringing this matter before the court and we will continue to work with the police and others to ensure that such fraud is identified and those responsible held to account”.

Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said “We advise residents to say no to cold-calling offers of home repairs and maintenance and for anyone looking for a reliable trader to always get a number of detailed quotes. You can also check with friends and family for trusted recommendations and consider a trading standards’ approved trader from our Buy with Confidence scheme.

“Any Oxfordshire resident that has concerns about activity of this nature should report it to trading standards using the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133. However, if they believe a crime is in progress, call 999”.

More information

His Honour Judge Daly identified this case carried high culpability and high impact and therefore took a starting point to sentencing of six years. Taking into account aggravating and mitigating features this was reduced to 60 months, then a 25 per cent discount for plea, reducing to total of 45 months imprisonment.

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The project’s focus has been to work with those who administer botox and fillers for cosmetic purposes to ensure they are aware of legislation and taking appropriate action to prevent underage sales.

It aims to educate providers about what they need to do to comply with the legislation regarding underage sales and assess the level of knowledge to minimise future possible contraventions.

Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Botox and fillers are both very popular cosmetic procedures right now, even among younger age groups.

“Whilst legislation prohibits the administration of botox and fillers to children, we know that access to these procedures to those under 18 remains a real concern and appreciate some young people may try to access them regardless.

“Therefore, we want to work with businesses and practitioners to ensure they are taking the right steps to protect both themselves and young people, by making sure they are complying with legal requirements.”

As part of its work, the team identified and sought to contact businesses that provide botox and fillers. They used a broad approach to send information and advice to 74 businesses that could potentially offer the service.

Overall, 27 businesses were visited by trading standards, who found that most of them were aware of the legal and ethical requirements to not inject anyone under 18.

However, some of them were not aware of the offence of booking an appointment for a child, and few of them asked for proof of age or recorded refusals. These businesses were advised to use a 'Challenge 25' scheme and to keep records of age verification and refusals. 

A proposed national licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England is currently in being considered. This would regulate the qualifications and standards of practitioners.

Find out more about this by visiting gov.uk.

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South Oxfordshire based Sarah, who is in her sixties, kicked her 60 a day habit two decades ago but is still reaping the benefits of making the change today. Now she is encouraging other local people to ditch the addiction with the help of Oxfordshire County Council.

Like so many, Sarah started smoking in her teens along with her friends, at a time when it was seen as fashionable.

“I was very much into the pub and club scene when growing up and smoking went hand in hand with drinking and dancing, and there were no bans in public places as there are now, so it was easy to get hooked,” she explained.

Although it was initially the desire to be fitter that motivated her to cut down, it wasn’t until a visit to her dentist in her forties that she realised the full extent of damage smoking had done.

Sarah said: “Ironically, I was also very much into my fitness at that time and regularly attended aerobic classes and gym sessions. I was starting to get a bit wheezy while using some of the cardiac equipment and thought it would be helpful if I cut down. 

“But the main reason I quit was because I lost most of my top teeth due to gum disease. My dentist told me this was because I was starving my mouth of oxygen and smoking was a key factor in this. My teeth were literally falling out one by one when I would just bite on something even as soft as a roll or a piece of cheese.”

Eventually she lost all her top teeth, and after some failed attempts with dentures, she decided to take the plunge and invest in dental implants to regain her smile.

“My dental surgeon told me categorically she would not carry out the operation unless I gave up smoking completely because my mouth needed to be as clean as possible to ensure success. The surgery was very expensive (I had to take out a loan to cover the cost) and so I made sure I never smoked cigarettes again.” 

Quitting smoking not only gave her back her smile, but she noticed a big difference in other ways too.

Sarah explained: “I am now a fairly healthy weight and am very active. I attend a gym two to three times a week and go hiking regularly with friends and with local rambler groups, walking between 20 to 30 miles a week. I’m pretty sure I would have been unable to do that if I had carried on smoking 60 cigarettes a day!

“I felt free of an addiction once I had given up nicotine completely and my clothes and house no longer smelt disgusting. I now absolutely detest the smell of smoking.”

Sarah admits going cold turkey was almost impossible so used multiple therapies to aid her in quitting for good, including patches, gum and lozenges, and recommends Oxfordshire County Council’s Stop for Life Oxon support services for anybody who would like to quit themselves.

“I would definitely have used the local Oxfordshire services had they been available to me, because at the time I was trying to quit, half of my friends were still smoking, and that type of external support would have been invaluable. So I would urge anyone trying to quit to seek help of that kind.”

Free support is available to all smokers in Oxfordshire and can include one to one coaching, a free rechargeable vape kit and or nicotine replacement therapy for up to 12 weeks.

Oxfordshire County Council’s stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon, has already helped thousands of people across Oxfordshire quit smoking using tools like vapes and other nicotine replacement therapies.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “Oral health is just one thing that can be massively impacted by smoking. People that smoke are at a higher risk of gum disease, staining, tooth loss – like Sarah suffered – and mouth cancer.

“We know how daunting it can be for people to give up smoking. So that’s why there are tools and aids to support everyone in their journey to a smoke free life. Our Stop for Life Oxon service provides free support, which is proven to help people who want to quit smoking in Oxfordshire.”

Residents can find out more about the support on offer to help quit smoking for good by visiting the Stop for Life Oxon website, or phoning 0800 122 3790.

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A warning has been issued by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team about the dangers of illegal disposable vapes after total seizures across the county reached 10,000.

This reflects a national trend amid safety concerns and a proposed ban on disposable vapes announced by government in January. Figures from the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charity suggest 7.6 per cent of 11 to 17 year olds now vape regularly or occasionally, up from 4.1 per cent in 2020.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Rechargeable vapes are a proven tool for adult smokers to help with quitting smoking and are almost twice as effective as other forms of nicotine replacement therapy. However, they should not be used by children or non-smokers as nicotine is highly addictive, with withdrawal sometimes causing anxiety, trouble concentrating and headaches. This is alongside other unknown long-term effects on health.”

How to spot an illegal vape?

Check the packaging for the following tell-tale signs that a disposable vape may be illegal:

• A nicotine content above 2 per cent (or 20mg/ml)
• The capacity above 2ml
• A puff count above 1,200
• No UK address for an importer/manufacturer
• A health warning that doesn’t include the exact wording “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: "We have recently seen a very concerning but unfortunately predictable development where reasonably sophisticated concealments, secured by electromagnet, have been used in an attempt to evade detection. This is clear evidence that illegal vapes are now being deliberately sold by organised crime groups”.

“Whilst the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is very welcome, this is clearly going to be a significant problem for many years to come”.

More information

Anyone concerned about the sale of illegal vapes in Oxfordshire can report it anonymously using the Illegal tobacco and vape hotline on 0300 999 6 999 or visit stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk

Any business considering purchasing disposable vapes for retail sale can refer to Oxfordshire County Council’s online guidance.

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The council is trialling the innovative, drug-free Allen Carr’s Easyway (ACE) method as part of ambitions to make the county smoke free.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Our smoke free ambitions are a real priority for the council, and this pilot will be complementing our current smoking cessation offer from Stop for Life Oxon.

“If we can achieve our aims, we’ll have helped to improve the health and wellbeing of Oxfordshire residents, while also reducing pressure and costs on social care and the NHS. 

“This pilot is an exciting opportunity to provide an innovative and clinically proven intervention programme to the residents of Oxfordshire.”

“I’d urge smokers living in Oxfordshire, who are interested, to book a slot on the programme and give it a go.”

The treatment is quick, usually taking five hours through live group seminars. Shorter backup sessions, telephone support and email support are provided for those who require them. It can also be accessed easily using smartphones, tablets or laptops.

ACE is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy endorsed by NICE and the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

Published studies have shown that ACE can help smokers kick the habit long-term and has already helped an estimated 50 million people quit smoking over the last 40 years. The evidence base supporting the method is compelling.

Smoking remains the biggest cause of ill-health and death in the UK and increases the risk of developing serious health conditions. Smoking is also a major contributing factor to health inequalities.

To find out more about ACE, including how to book a slot, visit the Easyway website.

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People who use Oxfordshire’s refill shops to reduce their consumption of single use plastics can be reassured they are compliant with weight measures and food legislation thanks to recent checks by Oxfordshire County Council.

Over two days in March, the council’s trading standards team visited nine businesses at ten different locations to check weights and measures compliance of refill shops in the county.

The aim was to build up knowledge of the refill goods sector and improve compliance in that sector with weights and measures and food legislation. They found overall good compliance from the shops in question.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Growing awareness of the need to reduce consumption of single-use plastics has prompted the emergence of ‘zero waste’ or refill shops. Food, cosmetics and cleaning products, which would normally be supplied in single-use plastic packaging, are dispensed from bulk into containers provided by the customer.

“In the current climate, it’s important that consumers should also be confident that they are getting the quantity that they are paying for. Therefore, it’s very reassuring to hear that our local refill shops here in Oxfordshire are compliant with weights and measures, and food safety regulations.”

Where necessary, businesses were given best practice advice. One business was given advice recommending that it use its existing scales to determine the quantity of liquid products rather than relying on the capacities of the containers being re-filled.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “The cost of living crisis means it’s arguably more important than ever that consumers get what they pay for. Trading standards has an important part to play as ensuring businesses are weighing and measuring goods accurately is one of the cornerstones of our profession.”

All but one of the refill shops visited were selling dry foodstuffs by weight over stamped scales, priced per kg, 100g or 10g. All tested scales were found to be within working tolerances for accuracy.

The following categories of liquid commodities were also being sold by refill shops: foodstuffs such as edible oils and vinegars; cosmetics including shampoo, hair conditioner and liquid soap; and cleaning products like detergents. These commodities were being sold in three ways: by weight only; by weight, with a conversion to volume using the specific density of the product; and by volume, using empty containers.

Allergen information was also found to be provided in all shops.

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As part of a brand-new national initiative, it is now offering free one-to-one personalised support including the provision of free rechargeable vapes. Those looking to quit smoking can now choose to join the 30-day challenge and get a free vape starter kit alongside help from a coach.

The stop smoking service, Stop for Life Oxon, has already helped thousands of people across Oxfordshire quit smoking using tools like vapes and other nicotine replacement therapies. With the free support, people are three times more likely to quit smoking.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “Cigarettes are one of the most harmful products on the market – killing up to two of every three lifelong smokers. For a 20-a-day smoker, it costs on average £384 per month and over £4600 per year.

“However, the positive impact of stopping smoking is immediate – with lung function and circulation improving in a few weeks, the risk of a heart attack drastically falling within one year, and the risk of cancer reducing in subsequent years, compared with someone who continued smoking. You can also experience better taste and smell, less stress, and protect your loved ones and your pets from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

“Rechargeable vapes are a great tool for adults to help with quitting smoking. They are almost twice as effective as other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, and I personally know people have managed to quit this way. Stop for Life Oxon can support you to access a free kit to help you on your journey to quitting your smoking habit for good.”

 Help us and be in with the chance of winning £50

 Ex-smokers and those who have decided to switch cigarettes for a vape are also being encouraged to share their story and be in with a chance of winning £50.

A new questionnaire is asking those who have given up cigarettes in the county to share their stories to inspire others to quit. Just one positive story or a short conversation could be the motivation that somebody needs. Those who take part in the survey could stand to win one of five prizes of £50.

Councillor Ley continued: “We also want people to help us inspire other Oxfordshire residents by telling us how and why they quit. Why did you quit? Was it to improve your health or finances, or perhaps for a family or a loved one? Had you been through a cycle of quitting and starting again – how did you succeed? Did anyone support you?”

“We are really keen to hear about people’s experiences of quitting smoking cigarettes and would love to share these with other people to motivate them.”

The questionnaire will be open for 30 days, running alongside a campaign to encourage current smokers to try the 30-day challenge and will be closing on 10 April.

To get involved and find out more about the survey, visit Oxfordshire County Council’s Let’s Talk Oxfordshire platform.

Find out more about the support on offer to help Oxfordshire residents quit smoking for good by visiting the Stop for Life Oxon website, the Best You mobile app, or phoning 0800 122 3790.

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The owner of Oxfordshire Roofing Company, Mr Jesse Shepherd, was sentenced to 30 weeks custody, suspended for two years, following an investigation by Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team.

Mr Shepherd, 56, from the Beeches, near Chipping Norton, pleaded guilty to the two offences relating to defective roofing work carried out at a property in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire in 2020. This was after he changed his pleas on 22 November 2023, near the start of a trial.

He was also sentenced to pay £4,200 in compensation to the victim, £3,000 towards the Council’s costs and a victim surcharge.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety, said: “The vast majority of Oxfordshire’s builders complete their work on time and to their customers’ satisfaction. When this is not the case and traders take money for rushed bodge jobs, then our trading standards team are here to protect residents from the actions of rogue traders.”

The fraud charges arose from false representations made by Mr Shepherd to his client, namely that work would be done to a reasonable and competent standard – “A grade materials” would be used and that workmanship and materials were covered with a 20 year guarantee.

Despite these assurances, the roof began leaking within days of being completed. An expert instructed by trading standards, who later evaluated the work, described the materials used as being “cheap” and “inadequate” and that a broken tile had been “bodged up with mastic,” instead of being replaced.

The expert also concluded that the work carried out by Oxfordshire Roofing Company was so poor that it had no value at all, as there was no alternative but for the new roof to be entirely replaced by another trader.

Mr Shepherd was paid £1,700 towards the £3,400 he had quoted for the roofing work, but the remaining sum was not paid as a leak occurred before this payment was made. The £3,400 quote was also unrealistic to complete the job, as the same expert who assessed the work done by Oxfordshire Roofing Company priced the job at £7,248 including VAT to be done properly.

 This is the second time Mr Shepherd has been prosecuted by Oxfordshire County Council for an offence of fraud for defective roofing work. He was previously fined following a guilty plea at Oxford Magistrates’ Court in 2009, at which time he was trading as Right Choice Roofing.

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, said: “We advise anybody who is looking for a reliable trader to always get a number of detailed quotes, check with friends and family for trusted recommendations and consider a trading standards’ approved trader, from our Buy With Confidence scheme.

“We would also advise that customers resist calls for payment ahead of when sums are due to be paid under the agreement they have with a trader. It is unfortunately very common for rogue traders to seek as much money as possible either upfront or at a very early stage in the works and then either fail to order materials that have been paid for or substitute them with cheaper, less suitable materials, than what has been invoiced for.”

Any Oxfordshire resident that has concerns about activity of this nature should report it to trading standards via the Citizens Advice national consumer helpline 0808 223 1133.

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At Oxford Magistrates Court on Thursday, 30 November, Krzysztof Bugno, 42, received 14 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years with 30 rehabilitation days and £2000 costs. Ewelina Bugno, 41, received eight months’ imprisonment suspended for two years with £1000 costs.

The prosecution followed a raid at their home address by the council’s trading standards team and Thames Valley Police. More than 44,000 illicit cigarettes and 24.5 kilograms of hand-rolling tobacco were seized. Magistrates ordered that this be forfeited and destroyed.

The haul, which at that time was the largest ever made by the local authority, had a street value of £20,000. The pair had originally entered guilty pleas at a hearing on 3 November.

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety: “Oxfordshire’s trading standards team, working in partnership with Thames Valley Police and other agencies will continue to crack down on the sale of these illegal products. People can help us to stamp out illegal tobacco and create a healthier and safer Oxfordshire by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity using the illegal tobacco hotline.”

Jody Kerman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, added: “We are serious about taking action whenever we find anyone selling illegal tobacco. Its sale not only avoids taxation, which means less money for schools, the NHS and local communities, it also undermines legitimate businesses in Oxfordshire and puts money into the hands of criminals.”

Tobacco fraud is reported to cost the UK around £2 billion a year while treating smoking-related illnesses costs the NHS a similar amount annually. 

Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco should contact 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at www.stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk.