Pic:The shisha pipes were seized from Byblos Gardens Shisha Lounge in Barking
Staff reporter(wp/es):
Dozens of so-called hubbly bubbly pipes were seized from an east London café after local residents tipped off the police.
Barking and Dagenham Council enforcement officers, alongside the Met Police, discovered customers smoking the pipes in an enclosed space during a raid at Byblos Gardens Shisha Lounge in Barking.
Four customers were given £50 fixed penalty notices as well as the manager, who was also given a £200 fine for allowing customers to smoke and not displaying ‘no smoking’ signs.
Councillor Laila Butt, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “It’s been illegal to smoke or allow smoking in an enclosed premises since 2006 so it should come as no surprise to anyone caught smoking at the café.
“I can assure anyone else out there it will be no toil or trouble for us to seize more hubbly bubbly pipes to uphold the smoking ban as part of our drive to protect residents’ health.”
The raid took place on Friday, January 13, and 48 pipes were confiscated.
A council spokeswoman added: "As a result of this action, further investigation is ongoing which could result in legal action against the business owner and any other associate.
"Shisa pipes also pose a serious health risks to users including increasing the chances of chances of contracting TB and hepatitis.
"The average shisha-smoking session lasts an hour and research has shown that in this time you can inhale the same amount of smoke as from more than 100 cigarettes."
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