Chunara was fined £265 on each of the four offences, and ordered to pay costs of £765 plus a victim surcharge of £26 bringing the total to £1,851.

The case was brought by Trafford Council’s trading standards officers following an enforcement visit to Mr Chunara’s hardware store on March 9 this year.

Mr Chunara was found to be selling four different brands of smuggled cigarettes intended for foreign markets, which did not carry the required health warnings. This was in spite of the fact that he had received a warning following a similar visit in 2014.

Executive Member for Economic Growth, Environment and Infrastructure, Cllr John Reilly, said “As a Council we work closely with the police and partner agencies to identify perpetrators of illegal activity and will use the full force of the Courts to deal with them. This prosecution sends a clear message that the courts take the sale of illegal tobacco products seriously and will deal with such activity when it is brought before them. Trafford’s trading standards officers will continue to work with the police and partner agencies to identify and act against those selling illegal goods.”