Key Points
- Salar Ahmed, 48, owner and company director of Kaka Super Shop Limited at 2b Dane Street, Bedford, pleaded guilty at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 20 January 2026.
- Ahmed, residing at Waterside Crescent, Oldbury, faced two charges under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2025.
- Offences stemmed from a test purchase on 11 April 2025, where the store sold a vape to a 14-year-old girl.
- Store has a history of violations: Trading Standards seized 2,000 illegal cigarettes and 265 illegal vapes in June 2024; 200 illegal cigarettes and 40 illegal vapes in October 2024; and 1,440 illegal cigarettes, 0.6kg hand-rolling tobacco, and 13 illegal vapes in another October 2024 operation.
- Additional test purchases: Vape sold to a 14-year-old in December 2024; non-compliant cigarettes sold in February 2025 lacking plain packaging, pictorial warnings, or English wording.
- Magistrates imposed a total penalty of £8,887.50, covering fines, victim surcharge, and costs, plus a 28-day collection order.
- Councillor Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services at Bedford Borough Council, condemned the repeated failures.
- Council urges retailers to train staff and implement procedures against sales to minors; residents can report.
Bedford (Manchester Mirror) 28 January 2026 – Kaka Super Shop Limited has been ordered to pay almost £9,000 in penalties after selling a vape to a 14-year-old girl, marking yet another breach in a pattern of illegal trading activities uncovered by Bedford Borough Council’s Trading Standards team. Salar Ahmed, the 48-year-old owner and company director of the convenience store at 2b Dane Street, pleaded guilty to two offences at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 20 January 2026. The case highlights ongoing concerns over underage access to vapes and illegal tobacco products in the local community.
What Led to the Court Case Against Kaka Super Shop?
The prosecution arose from a routine test purchase operation conducted by Bedford Borough Council on 11 April 2025, during which a 14-year-old volunteer was sold a vape without age verification. As detailed in the council’s official statement, this incident breached regulations under the Children and Families Act 2014, which prohibits sales of nicotine products to minors, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2025, aimed at curbing unsafe consumer goods.
Salar Ahmed, of Waterside Crescent, Oldbury, appeared before Luton Magistrates’ Court and entered guilty pleas to both charges. According to court records reported across local outlets, the magistrates took into account the store’s prior warnings and interventions by Trading Standards officers. No additional details on Ahmed’s personal statement were provided in public releases, but the guilty plea expedited proceedings.
This was not an isolated lapse; the store’s history painted a picture of persistent non-compliance, prompting repeated enforcement actions.
Why Does Kaka Super Shop Have a History of Illegal Sales?
Trading Standards’ interventions reveal a troubling pattern at Kaka Super Shop. In June 2024, officers seized 2,000 illegal cigarettes and 265 illegal vapes during a raid, as confirmed by Bedford Borough Council logs. Further seizures followed: 200 illegal cigarettes and 40 illegal vapes in one October 2024 operation, and in another that same month, 1,440 illegal cigarettes, 0.6kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and 13 illegal vapes.
Test purchase operations exposed direct sales breaches. In December 2024, another 14-year-old was sold a vape, mirroring the April 2025 incident. By February 2025, the store sold cigarettes failing UK standards—no plain standardised packaging, no prescribed pictorial warnings, and lacking required English wording. As noted by council spokesperson in Luton Today coverage, these repeated violations despite guidance underscored “wilful disregard” for regulations.
Bedford Borough Council had issued clear guidance post each seizure, yet compliance faltered, leading to escalation.
What Penalty Did the Magistrates Impose?
Luton Magistrates handed down a comprehensive penalty totalling £8,887.50 on 20 January 2026. This broke down into fines, a victim surcharge, and costs awarded to Bedford Borough Council. Additionally, a 28-day collection order was mandated to ensure prompt payment.
Court proceedings, as reported by BBC Bedfordshire, emphasised deterrence given the repeat offences. No community order or suspended sentence was mentioned; the financial burden reflects the severity. Ahmed was not banned from trading, but the penalty serves as a stark warning.
What Are the Health Risks of Vapes for Young People?
Councillor Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services at Bedford Borough Council, stated: “Vapes pose significant health risks to our young people, which is why selling them to children is illegal.” She added, as quoted in the council’s press release: “But Kaka Super Shop Limited has repeatedly failed in its legal responsibilities, despite all of our previous interventions and clear guidance.”
Her comments, echoed in Luton Today by local journalist Emma Johnson, underline nicotine addiction dangers, lung damage, and appeal to youth via flavours. The Children and Families Act 2014 bans such sales to protect under-18s, while the 2025 Act targets illicit products evading safety checks.
What Message Is Bedford Borough Council Sending?
“This latest prosecution sends a strong message that we will not tolerate such behaviour in Bedford Borough,” said Councillor Martin-Moran-Bryant. “Our Trading Standards team will continue to take robust action to protect young residents, support legitimate businesses and ensure businesses comply with the law.”
The council urges all retailers to prioritise staff training and robust age-check procedures for restricted items like vapes, cigarettes, and tobacco. As per their statement, this collaborative approach aims to foster compliance.
How Can Residents Report Similar Concerns?
Bedford Borough Council invites reports of businesses selling age-restricted products to minors. “Residents who have concerns about businesses selling age-restricted products to minors can report them to Bedford Borough Council’s Trading Standards team,” the council noted. “By working together, we can ensure that businesses adhere to responsible practices and safeguard our children from potential harm.”
This hotline, highlighted in BBC coverage, empowers community vigilance without naming informants. Trading Standards promises swift investigations.
What Broader Context Surrounds Vape Enforcement in Bedford?
Bedford’s case aligns with national crackdowns on illicit vapes, often Chinese-sourced and unregulated. Similar fines hit retailers in Luton and Milton Keynes last year, per regional reports. Kaka Super Shop’s multi-offence tally—spanning vapes, cigarettes, and tobacco—exceeds typical single-breach cases.
Councillor Martin-Moran-Bryant’s portfolio oversees such services, reporting to full council on enforcement successes. No appeal by Ahmed was noted as of 28 January 2026. The 28-day collection order pressures immediate settlement.
This incident reinforces UK-wide pushes post-2025 Act, targeting disposable vapes amid youth vaping surges. Bedford leads locally, with Trading Standards logging hundreds of seizures borough-wide. Legitimate traders welcome protections against illegal competition.
