Royal Mail worker fined 2k for selling illegal tobacco from his Plymouth home

[POSTMAN]

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Royal Mail worker was told how he was depriving local businesses of trade as he was fined for distributing illegal tobacco.

Paul Webber, 52, who the court heard had not realised he was breaking the law, pleaded guilty and received a fine of £2000.

He pleaded guilty to possessing 129 pouches of Cutter's Choice and 13 pouches of Golden Virginia after trading standards officers searched his property in September.

The magistrates warned Webber, of Brentford Avenue, that the impact of his crime was the he was "taking business away" from local shops.

The Belgian tobacco, found to be in breach of safety regulations because health warnings were in a foreign language, was initially bought for personal use, the court heard.

His defence solicitor said he began selling it from his Whitleigh home when "friends caught wind", but not at a profit.

He said: "He didn't know he was breaking the law and has lost £1000 by having it seized, even though he bought it with the intention of saving money."

The court heard text messages from individuals asking to buy the products at a price of £9.50 a pouch and the prosecution said "availability to youngsters undermined efforts to keep them away from cigarettes".

Sentencing, the magistrate said: "A great deal of tax revenue has been lost from this and younger people coming into contact with the products would not be able to read the writing and therefore might not understand the health risks.

"Local shops are also affected because you are taking business away from them."

[daveyeff]

I wonder if it would have an impact on his job if they 'got wind' of it.