Brent Council has now prosecuted almost 50 shisha businesses operating illegally - with 10 more lined up to feel the heat in court.

Last month four owners and directors appeared at Willesden Magistrates’ Court following a joint operation between the council’s health and safety team along with the Wembley Police Tasking Team.

That operation resulted in 25kg of illegal tobacco being seized and fines of almost £10,000 being handed down.

On February 21 Abdi Mukthar, of Crome Road in Harlesden, and Fahad Hassan, of Cater Close in Kingsbury, the owner and manager respectively of the Marina Lounge in Bridge Road, Wembley, pleaded guilty to smoke-free and tobacco related offences dating back to last September and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,665.

The director of Sooteh Delan in Willesden High Road, Keyanosh Hashemi, of Dorset Road in Harrow, also admitted similar offences committed last November and recieved a £4,200 penalty.

A week later, on February 28, the directors of the Sham Lounge, on Kenton Road, Ibrahim Matter Al-Abdalla and Roudi Chikho, of Canning Road and Belvoir Court in Harrow respectively, pleaded guilty to smoke-free, tobacco labelling and tobacco products offences committed on November 30 2016 and were slapped with fines and costs amounting to £1,240.

The owner of Paradise Parlour on Kilburn High Road, Ali Redha Walji, of Dollis Hill Lane in Cricklewood, along with manager Kaan Haider Mohamed, of Frigate House on the Isle of Dogs, were convicted of smoke-free and tobacco labelling offences committed on November 24 and ordered to pay £1,980 in fines and costs.

Earlier this month the council called on the government for greater powers to be given to local authorities to tackle lawless shisha cafes.

They have asked the Home Secretary to introduce new legislation recognising shisha as a licensable activity by law so that local authorities can better regulate them.

Cllr Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: “This is yet another warning to owners of shisha cafes who don’t obey the law and we will prosecute all venues until they comply or are forced to close down.

“Illegal shisha businesses threaten the safety and wellbeing of our residents and we will not tolerate this.”