A MAN caught as part of an undercover operation into the sale of fake cigarettes at a Cowley Road supermarket has made his first appearance at the crown court.

Karzan Rostam, of Seymour Road, Luton, was at Oxford Magistrates’ Court last month having already admitted 25 counts relating to the selling and possession of unmarked tobacco products.

The 46-year old also breached trademark and packaging rules by selling the products with incorrect safety labels and fake colouring.

He again appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday for his sentencing hearing.

Rostam was unrepresented at the court and presiding Judge Ian Pringle QC agreed to adjourn his final determination while Rostam finds a barrister to represent him.

The case was adjourned and Rostam was released on bail in the meantime.

Previously, the magistrates court had heard how undercover buyers first visited the Euro Supermarket as part of a sting operation into the sale of fake cigarettes in February last year.

Later, in May, more illegal cigarettes were bought from investigators at Cowley Goods Store, which Rostam had been sub-letting.

More purchases were made of fake goods in July and the store was raided where numerous boxes of illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco was seized.

A sniffer dog helped locate hundreds of boxes of the banned products hidden behind wall panels at the store.

In total 1,102 20-pack boxes of cigarettes were seized and 61 packets of rolling tobacco.

Rostam will next be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on April 11.