Guilty: Herefordshire woman admits bootleg cigarette charges

Isabela Buczel appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing in March after entering guilty pleas to one count of producing or supplying a tobacco product in breach of packaging regulations, two of producing or supplying a tobacco product not carrying a combined health warning, and two of applying a sign identical to or likely to be mistaken for a registered trade mark.

The court heard that Buczel had produced or supplied two packets of cigarettes to which she had applied a sign likely to be mistaken for a registered trade mark, namely Benson and Hedges, and which did not comply with packaging colour regulations and did not carry a combined health warning in Ledbury on October 1, 2021.

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The 34-year-old had applied a sign likely to be mistaken for a registered trade mark, namely Benson and Hedges, to 290 packets of cigarettes in Ledbury, with a view to gain for herself, and had supplied 290 packets of Benson and Hedges cigarettes and 78 packets of MAC Superslims Gold which did not carry a health warning in on October 2, 2021.

Buczel, of Queen's Court, Ledbury, was handed a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay costs of £1,132.33 and a £95 victim surcharge.

The tobacco products were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.