He might look adorable  – but this sniffer dog helped to uncover a rogue supermarket’s illegal tobacco and vape stash.

Cooper, a specially trained tobacco detection dog, helped Islington Council seize more than 4,000 packs of illegal cigarettes during a search of Naz Organic in Archway in March last year.

The Holloway Road supermarket was also found to have almost 600 dodgy vapes, some of which exceeded the permitted tank size for e-liquids.

Around £70,000 worth of illegal tobacco products were sniffed out by Cooper, despite having been placed in a hidden cabinet.

Islington Gazette: Illegal cigarettes worth around £70,000 were foundIllegal cigarettes worth around £70,000 were found (Image: Islington Council)

Another inspection of the shop in August unearthed a further 321 illegal vapes.

A 14-year-old was also sold a vape at the supermarket during a test purchase operation by the council in November.

Naz Organic Ltd and its director, Ako Faraidon Khadir, ultimately pleaded guilty to two offences concerning the sale of illegally packaged tobacco products at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.

They also admitted to a further two offences concerning the illegal vapes, and one relating to a quantity of illegally-labelled shisha.

The company pleaded guilty to the offence of selling a nicotine inhaling product to a minor.

Last Wednesday (March 13), Naz Organic Ltd was fined a total of £17,000 and ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge.

Mr Khadir was fined a total of £6,000 alongside a £2,000 victim surcharge.

The company and its director were also ordered to pay a combined total of £5,578 in costs to Islington Council. Altogether, they were fined £32,578.

Besserat Atsebaha, Islington’s director of community safety, security and resilience, said: “Selling vapes to children is illegal, irresponsible and dangerous.

“The illegal tobacco market makes it easier for children to start smoking and harder for smokers to quit and remain smoke free.

“This prosecution sends a clear signal that we won’t tolerate traders who sell illegal and harmful products.

“Most traders in Islington operate well within the law, but we will take robust action against those who don’t.”