The operators of illicit northern suburbs tobacco businesses have been hit with fines totalling $46,800, following action taken by Consumer and Business Services.

In the Elizabeth Magistrates Court, 23 year old Yahya Faris Farouk Al-Nakib of Modbury Heights, 35 year old Seif Salman of Modbury Heights and 30 year old Mahmood Alkufaish of Salisbury East pleaded guilty to breaches of the state’s Tobacco and E-Cigarettes Product Act 1997.

The Court heard that Al-Nakib and Salman were selling illicit tobacco through a licensed business, Smoke Evolution, at Modbury, while Al-Nakib and Alkufaish were involved in selling illicit tobacco through a second business, Evo Convenience in Balaklava.

A raid on the Modbury business by CBS staff in November last year saw more than 520 packs of 20 cigarettes, 1,700 tobacco filled tubes and 400 grams of loose tobacco seized, while subsequent raids in Balaklava netted more than 1,350 packs of 20 cigarettes, 16,600 tobacco-filled tubes and more than 11 kilograms of loose tobacco.

Al-Nakib was fined a total of $36,600. His retail tobacco licence was cancelled and he has been disqualified from holding a licence for three years.

Salman was fined a total of $6,000. His retail tobacco licence was cancelled and he has been disqualified from holding a licence for two years.

Alkufaish was fined $4,200 and has been disqualified from holding a licence for one year.