Churchfield Road Store Caught Stocking Illegal Cigarettes
Marrakech Supermarket fined after trading standards investigation
The shop is at 140 Churchfield Road. Picture: Ealing Council
August 26, 2026
An Acton supermarket has been ordered to pay more than £15,600 after illegal tobacco was found hidden inside the shop during a trading standards investigation.
Aljanaby Food Limited, based on Minerva Road and trading as Marrakech Supermarket at 140 Churchfield Road by the rear exit of the Oaks Shopping Centre, was prosecuted alongside company director Khalid Abdulmunim Faisal Al Janaby following a series of inspections by Ealing Council’s trading standards team. The case was heard at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 28 July, where Mr Al Janaby pleaded guilty to multiple offences under UK tobacco regulations.
The investigation began on 29 October 2025, when staff sold two packets of tobacco to council officers during a test purchase. The packets failed to comply with UK packaging rules and did not carry the required health warnings. A follow‑up inspection on 4 November — supported by a sniffer dog trained to detect tobacco — uncovered further illegal products behind the counter and inside a purpose‑built hide within the shop.
In total, officers seized 511 packets of illegal cigarettes and 69 packets of rolling tobacco, with an estimated street value of £3,756. Magistrates noted during sentencing that Mr Al Janaby had previously been prosecuted for similar offences in 2019 and “had not learned his lesson”, adding that they did not find his explanation credible and believed he had been profiteering from the illegal trade.
The court imposed fines totalling £8,000 across both the company and Mr Al Janaby, alongside a £3,200 victim surcharge and £4,483.30 in prosecution costs. The total amount payable is £15,683.30. The court also ordered that all seized tobacco be destroyed.
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said the sale of illegal tobacco “robs the taxpayer of much‑needed legitimate income for public services” and undermines public health measures. She added that the case demonstrates the council’s commitment to taking strong action against offenders and supporting law‑abiding businesses.
Residents with concerns about illicit tobacco or counterfeit goods can report them to the council’s trading standards service.
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