TWO shisha bar owners found themselves in court and forced to cough up more than �1,300 for allowing customers to smoke in an enclosed public place. Magistrates heard how two shisha bars had been raided by Tower Hamlets environmental health commercia

TWO shisha bar owners found themselves in court and forced to cough up more than �1,300 for allowing customers to smoke in an enclosed public place.

Magistrates heard how two shisha bars had been raided by Tower Hamlets environmental health commercial and trading standards teams.

Abdul Kashim, the owner of Caf� Fresh, in Commercial Road, Whitechapel, and Mohammed Ahmed who owns Lounge 101, in Fairfield Road, in Bow, with permitting smoking shisha in an enclosed public space.

Kashim pleaded guilty at Thames magistrates court on Friday for allowing the use of shisha pipes within the basement of Caf� Fresh. He was fined with costs a total of �465.

Ahmed of Lounge 101 did not appear in court and the case was heard in his absence.

He was fined total of �865, including costs.

Bilal Miah, a co-defendant of Kashim's pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set for Friday 5 February 2010.

Tower Hamlets council and NHS Tower Hamlets have been working to close down illegal smoking dens by prosecuting shisha bar owners, seizing shisha products and writing to people found in the bars warning them of the health hazards connected with smoking.

Since 2007 it has been against the law to smoke indoors and public places.