A MAN caught as part of an undercover sting into the sale of fake cigarettes at a Cowley Road supermarket has been jailed.

Karzan Rostam, of Seymour Road, Luton, was told at Oxford Crown Court yesterday that selling unmarked tobacco products was so serious he had to be jailed.

The 46-year old had already admitted 25 counts relating to selling fake cigarette products and breaching trademark and packaging rules by selling products with incorrect safety labels and fake colouring.

READ ALSO: Oxford's World-leading Churchill Cancer Centre marks 10 year anniversary.

The court heard at the sentencing hearing yesterday 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, where Rostam was the owner.

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.

READ ALSO: A34 improvements needed as 'a matter of urgency' says MP.

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.

In mitigation his defence barrister Christopher Quinn said that his client was 'remorseful' and had changed his ways.

Rostam was jailed for 12 months and must pay a fine of £600, court costs of £1,500 and a victim surcharge.