Article

Mohammed Hassan Abdulla, 40, of Brooklands Terrace, Swansea, trading as Market Vapes in Station Road, Port Talbot, came under investigation over the sale of illegal vapes and counterfeit cigarettes.

The premises was raided by the Trading Standards team accompanied by South Wales Police officers in October 2023, following two test purchases of counterfeit cigarettes made from the premises.

During the raid, officers seized almost 3,000 counterfeit cigarettes, 34 packs of counterfeit rolling tobacco and 58 illegal vapes. Concealments, hidden cavities on the premises and even the base of a birdcage were used to hide the illicit products but were detected by search officers using sniffer dogs.

A further visit by the Trading Standards team was carried out in April 2024, again accompanied by police but this time with specialist Trading Standards tobacco officers. More counterfeit tobacco products were taken from the premises and from nearby “stash” vehicles used to store illicit stock away from the premises.

More than 2,500 counterfeit cigarettes,108 illegal vapes and 36 packs of counterfeit rolling tobacco were seized. At interview, Mr Abdulla denied any knowledge of the illegal sales and the hidden cavities in the shop.

The premises was also subject to a closure order for three months from February through to May 2025 due to these and other activities between May and August 2024.

Mr Abdulla initially appeared before Swansea Crown Court on 8th September 2025 where he pleaded guilty to a number of offences, namely:

• Three offences of selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco
• Three offences of supplying electronic cigarettes which did not comply with the regulations
• Intending to defraud the Government of duty payable on goods, and
• Carrying on a fraudulent business.

He then appeared before Swansea Crown Court on 24th October 2025.  The sentencing judge HHJ Thomas KC told the court: “Selling illegal vapes puts members of the public at risk and the court needs to send a message to try to end this pernicious trade.”

Mr Abdulla was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on each charge to run concurrently with each charge suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days as directed by the Probation Service.  He was also ordered to pay Neath Port Talbot Council £4,646.46 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, Cllr Cen Phillips, praised the work of the Trading Standards officers saying: “Counterfeit cigarettes are unregulated, dangerous and can be used to fund serious organised crime.

“The vapes seized do not comply with UK safety standards and can pose a serious risk to people’s health. Our Trading Standards team will continue to investigate these types of offences.”