Barking and Dagenham firm fined £11,700 for selling illicit goods
Maramureseanul Ltd and director Bogdan Vasile Bota faced penalties after trading standards found tobacco, alcohol, and medicines.
Incident → evidence → outcomeMaramureseanul Ltd and its director Bogdan Vasile Bota have been ordered to pay over £11,700 in fines, costs, and surcharges following the discovery of illicit goods at two stores in Barking and Dagenham. The company and Mr Bota pleaded guilty to offences related to the sale of illegal tobacco, alcohol, and unauthorised medicines.
Discovery of illicit products
During an inspection on May 28, 2024, at 608 Longbridge Road, Barking and Dagenham Council's trading standards officers found 1,500 tobacco sticks, 166 bottles of alcohol, and 85 unauthorised medicines. A subsequent inspection on July 25, 2024, at 448 Becontree Avenue uncovered a further 4,340 tobacco sticks. A follow-up visit on August 15, 2024, resulted in the seizure of an additional 21 bottles of illicit alcohol.
Council response and penalties
Councillor Syed Ghani, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, stated that the sale of such goods poses risks to consumers and disadvantages legitimate businesses. He added that the council's trading standards team would continue to investigate and remove illegal products. The court imposed a £1,540 fine on Mr Bota and a £3,284 fine on Maramureseanul Ltd. Additionally, a victim surcharge of £1,929 and prosecution costs totalling £5,000 were ordered.
Questions this report answers
01How much did Maramureseanul Ltd and its director have to pay?
Maramureseanul Ltd and its director Bogdan Vasile Bota were ordered to pay over £11,700. This total includes fines, a victim surcharge, and prosecution costs awarded to Barking and Dagenham Council.
02What illicit goods were found?
Trading standards officers discovered significant quantities of illicit tobacco, including thousands of sticks, along with 166 bottles of illegal alcohol and 85 unauthorised medicines across two shops in Barking and Dagenham.
03When did the inspections take place?
The inspections that led to the discovery of illicit goods occurred on three separate dates. These were May 28, 2024, July 25, 2024, and August 15, 2024.
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