A man accused of selling hundreds of packets of counterfeit cigarettes is due to appear in court.

Haywa Ahmedi Mohamed is alleged to have possessed the packets, which imitated other brands of cigarettes, at a shop in Barrow town centre.

The man is due to appear at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court today for a private prosecution.

He is accused of 16 charges related to breaches of trading regulations.

The offences are said to have happened at the European Food Store in Dalton Road.

The charges relate to breaches of trade mark law and health regulations on selling cigarettes.

It is said that on April 15 last Mr Mohamed possessed 315 packets of ‘Richmond’ cigarettes with packaging identical to a registered trademark without the consent of the proprietor.

He is also accused of supplying those products without a dark brown shading on the packaging and without an NHS health warning as required by law.

On the same day he is also alleged to have possessed 439 20 packs of Pect cigarettes.

They are said not to have complied with rules on packaging and health warnings.

It is also alleged that he had 180 20 packs of Rothmans cigarettes without the correct shading and no health warning.

Charges also relate to five packs of 20 Richmond cigarettes, which were said to not be packaged in line with regulations.

The defendant is also alleged to have one packet of Rothmans cigarettes that broke the same packaging regulations.

He is also alleged to have a pouch of Benson & Hedges hand-rolling tobacco that did not carry the dark brown shading and the health warning.

On September 29, the defendant, of Andsell Street in Blackpool, is said to have had five ‘Richmond’ packets similar to a registered trade mark.