A shisha cafe in Kenton has been fined after failing to display health warnings for the tobacco it sold.

Babylon Palace Ltd and one of the company’s three directors, Hamed Noorzada, 47, of Northwood, Middlesex, each pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court yesterday, Tuesday.

Police discovered customers smoking four shisha pipes containing tobacco not marked with the required health warning when they raided the cafe at 88-91 Kenton Road on December 6, 2012.

Officers found supplies of health warning labels in the shisha preparation area but they were not displayed on the shisha pipes.

Mr Noorzada said he knew the legal requirements for the tobacco pipes but the staff member who applied the warnings was away that evening.

He said he had just arrived for work and had not yet checked the pipes.

The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay a £120 victim surcharge, plus full prosecution costs of £963 to Brent and Harrow Trading Standards.

Mr Noorzad was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

The court heard that Trading Standards had advised the company verbally and in writing on three separate occasions between November 2011 and May 2012 of all the legislation relating to the operation of a shisa café.

Magistrates were also informed Mr Noorzada was prosecuted in November 2012 and fined for allowing customers to smoke in an enclosed space within his café.

In court, Mr Noorzada admitted it was a mistake which happened when he was late and the two other directors were away.

The company has since had 90 waterproof warning labels made which it displays on the pipes.

The prosecution follows the ongoing clampdown of more than 50 shisha bars trading in Brent, following an operation between the council’s consumer and business protection team, HMRC and the police.

Speaking after the case, Bill Bilon, head of consumer and business protection said: “We are now regularly taking enforcement action against shisha bar owners to ensure compliance with respect to smoke free laws, underage sales, planning consents and as in this case, checking the pipes carry the required health warnings.

“These warnings are necessary to inform smokers that contrary to popular belief, shisha contains significantly more tar and nicotine than normal cigarettes and is highly addictive.

“Shisha smokers are at much greater risk of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.”