A Glasgow company director has been banned for eight years after importing raw tobacco hidden in vacuum‑sealed tins disguised as furniture. Border Force officers seized the shipment at Grangemouth in January 2022, stopping a container addressed to Unique Enterprise Ltd, a firm run by Fazle Masum. The company did not hold the required HM Revenue and Customs approval to handle raw tobacco, a legal requirement since 2017. Masum even applied to have the seized tobacco returned to him. Following an HMRC investigation, Unique Enterprise Ltd was fined £152,980, and the company later entered liquidation owing almost £175,000—nearly all unpaid penalties. The Glasgow Sheriff Court disqualified Masum as a company director, with the ban taking effect 29 June. Officials said the order protects the public and prevents further risk to creditors and consumers.
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