A Middlesbrough man has been jailed for nearly two years after repeatedly selling illicit cigarettes from multiple properties across the town.
Dyary Kadir, 51, formerly of Market Place, North Ormesby, has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after being caught operating an illegal tobacco racket spanning three separate premises, including shops and a flat above one of the businesses.
The conviction follows a Middlesbrough Council Trading Standards investigation, during which 15,000 illicit cigarettes and 2.1kg of hand-rolling tobacco were seized in January 2023 from 38 Market Place and a linked address in Berwick Hills.
In a separate incident in February 2023, officers found Kadir at 32 Market Place, a café operated by Emma Wilkinson, 40, of Berwick Hills Avenue, with a further 1,000 counterfeit cigarettes and 1.1kg of illegal tobacco.
Repeat Offenders and Tough Sentences
Both Kadir and Wilkinson were previously investigated for similar offences at 31 Market Place, and were charged under the Trade Marks Act, the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, and Standardised Packaging Regulations 2015.
At Teesside Crown Court, Kadir changed his initial not guilty plea to guilty, and was handed a 22-month custodial sentence alongside a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) to restrict future offending.
Wilkinson, who pleaded guilty from the outset, received a 12-month sentence suspended for 18 months.
Council Crackdown on Illicit Trade
Judith Hedgley, Middlesbrough Council’s Head of Public Protection, said:
“These sentences reflect the severity of harm caused by selling illicit tobacco. The defendants operated fake businesses to exploit the trade for profit, fuelling health inequalities and organised crime.”
Councillor Janet Thompson added:
“This trade affects the lives of local people and brings crime into our neighbourhoods. These significant sentences should act as a warning.”
