A jailed shopkeeper, who imported, stored and sold thousands of illegal cigarettes, has been ordered to repay more than £490,000 he made from his crimes, or spend more time in jail.

Karim Heabah, 29, of Jenkin Road, Sheffield, was jailed for three years in December 2017 for excise fraud offences after an investigation by HMRevenue & Customs (HMRC).

At a confiscation hearing last week, at Sheffield Crown Court, Heabah was told he must repay £494,296 within three months, or spend a further four-and-a-half years behind bars and still owe the money.

Diccon Wood, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Selling illegal cigarettes creates an uneven playing field for legitimate businesses and is theft from the taxpayer. This is money which should be used to fund our vital public services and now Heabah must pay it back.

“The majority of tobacco retailers are law abiding, but we will continue pursue those who smuggle, store and profit from illegal tobacco. Our actions don’t stop once someone is convicted and we will always look to reclaim the stolen money.

“We encourage anyone with information about tobacco fraud to report it online, or call our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788887.”

Officers from HMRC and trading standards made a number of tobacco seizures from Heabah’s shop, Baghdad Stores, on Page Hall Road, Sheffield, between 2011 and 2016. The largest haul consisted of more than 29,900 illegal cigarettes and 10.5kg of hand-rolling tobacco.

A number of parcels containing illicit tobacco goods, addressed to Heabah, were also seized by HMRC at delivery depots in Sheffield and Coventry in 2015.

HMRC officers found another batch of illicit tobacco goods at his shop just days before he was sent to prison.

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