A Croydon off licence has been fined for selling counterfeit vodka, a year after the shopkeeper was warned for selling pirated whisky.

Trading standards officers found counterfeit 700ml bottles of Smirnoff Vodka for sale at HK Discount Wines in London Road, Thornton Heath, during a routine check in August last year.

On Monday, shop owner Gurmit Singh Kallah, pleaded guilty under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 when he appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court.

Mr Kallah and the company were given fines totalling £500 and ordered to pay costs of £991.

The prosecution follows a warning given to Mr Kallah in 2005 for selling counterfeit whisky.

Croydon Council deputy leader Steve O'Connell said the court case was a reminder to local off licences to make sure they buy their stock from reputable sources.

"Unscrupulous traders who try to con local people into buying fake goods are bad news both for consumers and the many reputable companies in the borough," Coun O'Connell said.

"Traders have no way of knowing the true contents of these bottles bought from illegitimate sources and so put the health of local consumers at serious risk.

"The message is clear - we will not tolerate this type of trader in Croydon and we will prosecute anyone found selling counterfeit goods in the borough."

Anyone who is suspicious of goods they have been offered or bought can have them checked by the council's trading standards service by ringing 020 8407 1310 or emailing: trading.standards@croydon.gov.uk