Azwer’s story

“I was told to ask everyone who wanted to buy cigarettes or tobacco if they would prefer the “cheap ones”. Most people used to say yes but that’s changing now – I think customers have seen the publicity about the links to organised crime and the sales to children and it puts them off. I don’t blame them – I see where it is stored and it’s filthy! Hardly anyone in this country smokes compared to where I came from but the laws here are really strict. But I’m not scared of the police or other officers who raid our shop – we are all really scared of the boss who turns up here in his flash car and threatens us with horrific violence if we say anything at all – we always have to pretend that we don’t usually work at the shop and that we’re just helping a mate out. We’ve seen what happens to people. If the customers here knew about it, no-one would ever buy the “cheap ones” – the human cost is too high.”

The above is based on a report received by a local enforcement officer