A 30-year-old man has today denied being part of a counterfeit sales operation in Gloucester.

Salim Osman, 30, of Holyhead Road, Birmingham, pleaded not guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to possessing 1,307 cigarettes branded as Mayfair and Richmond - and 2,178 pouches of rolling tobacco also incorrectly branded on November 28, 2017.

Mr Osman also denied the fraudulent evasion of VAT to the Inland Revenue and breaching trademark copyrights.

In a prosecution brought by Gloucestershire Trading Standards, a jury heard that officers visited the Divan Mini Market in Barton Street on October 11, 2017 to carry out a test purchase.

Prosecutor Alan Fuller said that when the officer identified himself a man called Mr Hawkar Muhammed was behind the counter, but left the premises almost immediately.

"The officer searched the shop and its outbuildings and found a quantity of cigarettes and tobacco, which he believed to be fake and seized the counterfeit goods," said Mr Fuller.

Three weeks later on November 7, Osman called the police from the mini market and said that he had been the victim of robbery.

In a statement read out in court, DC Martin from Gloucestershire Police said: "Osman explained that he had been working at the store when a group of men attacked him and stole items belonging to the shop and Osman.

"A week later I met Osman at Barton Street Police Station when he attempted to retract his statement as his personal stolen items had been returned and no longer wanted to take any further action against those responsible."

Mr Fuller said: "Trading Standards officers executed a search warrant at an address in Falkner Street, Gloucester at 7am on November 28, 2017 and found Mr Muhammed in the bedroom with Osman in the lounge.

"Officers conducted a search of the flat and found a large quantity of counterfeit cigarettes and rolling tobacco, valued at over £26,000, hidden inside a sofa and a footstall.

"None of these counterfeit goods was packaged for the UK market.

"The officers also discovered documents belonging to Osman and £13,000 stashed in his rucksack and an additional £2,125 elsewhere in the property.

"But Osman claimed he didn't live at the flat and that he knew nothing of what was going on. He also stated that the money came from visitors from Iraq."

Mr Fuller Then asked the jury: "Does Osman share the same responsibility for the charges that Mr Muhammed had already admitted?

"We say that he does because he was convicted in January 2016 for carrying out a similar counterfeit operation at the Costless Convenience Store in Eastgate Street in Gloucester."

The trial continues.