In 2021 a sizeable shipment of e-scooters, e-bikes and kick scooters was intercepted by UK Border Force. The shipment was imported from China and bound for a company based in Islington. The products were handed over to Suffolk Trading Standards who later handed conduct of the investigation to Islington Trading Standards.
Following testing for compliance with the relevant UK/EU Standards, all the products were found to have serious safety issues. The most concerning of the issues being the chargers in the e-bikes and e-scooters, which were found to contain counterfeit components and posed an electrical shock hazard.
The importation of unsafe e-scooters and e-bikes has increasingly become a problem in the UK in recent years, becoming one of London’s fastest growing fire risks.
Sardar Rassa (The Defendant), as the sole director of the company, was charged with various offences under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. The offences related to the importation of the unsafe products and the Defendant’s subsequent failure to comply with suspension notices which prohibited the sale or transfer of the products.
The Defendant entered guilty pleas to each of the 12 counts on the indictment on the first day of trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Richard Heller, who provided the initial advice, and Harry Laidlaw acted for the prosecution at trial. Both were instructed by Alonso Ercilla of London Borough of Islington Trading Standards.
Media links: London Evening Standard
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