Market stall owner busted over sale of ‘legal high' cannabis substitute  

A MARKET stall owner has been convicted over the sale of "legal highs" in the first UK case of its kind.

Cops saw one of Hamayun Parwani's staff sell a cannabis substitute to a boy of 16 at his Wendy's Smoking Accessories stall in Kirkgate Market, Leeds.

Parwani, 37, was not there and pleaded not guilty on the basis he himself did not sell it to the teenager.

But Leeds magistrates ruled he was legally responsible for his employee's actions and convicted him of selling a drug to an under-18. He got a conditional discharge.

He had been arrested in January as part of an operation by West Yorkshire Police focusing on so-called "head shops" which had been given earlier warnings about selling to youths.

Stall worker Kebba Kujabi, 47, was seen selling the substance to the youngster and admitted the offence at court in April and also received a conditional discharge.

The pair were charged under Section 1 of the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985, which was originally brought in to target the selling of solvents.

Police said they used the legislation to target "legal highs" and hope other forces may follow suit.

The drug the teenager was sold was not classified at the time of the offence but has since been made illegal.

The case comes as part of an ongoing campaign to target substances which are manufactured as chemical substitutes for illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy - and to raise awareness of the health risks associated with them.

Police Chief Supt Paul Money said: "This is a landmark conviction which represents a real step forward in our ongoing campaign to target the trade in these substances.

"We remain very concerned that so-called ‘legal highs' are being sold openly in the city and on the internet and that this makes some people, particularly the young, feel they can take them without risk.

"Just because they can be bought legally, it doesn't mean they are safe for people to take."

He added: "There have been a number of cases where these substances have been linked to deaths and people being taken to hospital seriously ill. We are determined to do all we can to limit the potential risks they present to people and honour our commitment to keep people safe in our communities.

"The people who trade in these substances operate on the margins of legality and this case should clearly demonstrate to them the approach we will be continuing to take to ensure that they are operating within the regulations."

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http://www.thesun.co.uk 18/07/2013