MOUHAMADOU Mbaye, 49 of Moxley Road, Crumpsall, was found guilty in his absence of illegal street trading and fined £350, with costs of £400 and a £15 victims of crime surcharge.
Mbaye’s goods, a selection of novelty hats and scarfs, were also forfeited as part of his judgment after trading in the same position for thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, Moustapha Niang, 38 of Moxley Road, Crumpsall, was also found guilty in his absence of illegal street trading and fined £175 and ordered to pay court costs of £570.49 plus a £15 victims of crime surcharge after he was spotted trading in the same place for 20 minutes.
Large events and football matches often bring a surge in illegal street trading and we urge residents not to waste money on the merchandise, which are often poor quality counterfeits
City Council officers witnessed both men trading illegally on Market Street, popular with pedlars due to its heavy footfall, and cautioned them at the scene under the Manchester City Council Act 2010 that prevents illegal street trading in the city centre and gives officers the right to seize goods.
The Act ensures that pedlars are only allowed to remain in the same location for five minutes before moving to another spot to curb people abusing Pedlar’s certificates, that are easily and cheaply obtainable from the police, by trading at fixed locations and masquerading as genuine vendors.
Councillor Pat Karney, City Centre spokesperson, said: "Illegal street traders undermine legitimate high street stores with their often shoddy goods and become a burden in busy areas like Market Street. Pedlars are aware of the law and we will prosecute anyone caught trading unlawfully to keep Manchester safe.
"Large events and football matches often bring a surge in illegal street trading and we urge residents not to waste money on the merchandise, which are often poor quality counterfeits.”
