A man has been jailed for eight months after officers discovered a stash of illicit tobacco when they were called to investigate a break-in.

And Mer Kochar Ali, of Town Avenue, Huddersfield, was already under a community order for similar offences at the time.

James Bourne-Arton prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court yesterday that the order was imposed in February last year following two seizures in May and July 2015 from a mini-market in Mexborough.

But on August 11 last year customs and excise officers visited Ali and seized 23,700 cigarettes including brands such as Benson and Hedges, Mayflower and Richmond, along with 11.5 kilogrammes of hand rolling tobacco.

The duty evaded totalled just under £8,400.

When Ali was interviewed he claimed the cigarettes related to a previous seizure.

Anastasis Tassou representing Ali said he accepted he had them for commercial gain.

The court heard Ali had told a probation officer he is no longer running the shop in Mexborough but now works as a butcher.

Ali, 42, admitted two charges of dealing with goods with fraudulent intention and was told by Judge Robin Mairs the offences were serious and justified an immediate jail term, despite a plea for leniency as his wife is expecting a child.

Ali had received a warning in 2010, 2011 and 2012 after tobacco and cigarettes were seized at a shop on Bradford Road, Huddersfield that he ran.

And in 2013 he and others were found in possession of cigarettes and tobacco at the Port of Dover.

“You were not prosecuted for any of those matters it is right to observe, but they were a clear warning to you that your dealings in tobacco and cigarettes were unlawful,” he was told.

“There were further breaches in May and July 2015 resulting in you pleading guilty and being sentenced for offences similar to these in February 2016.”

The judge said Ali was given a 12 month community order: “That must have brought home to you the criminality of what you were doing and you would have been warned at the time any repetition would result in custodial sentences.”

Jo Tyler, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Ali shamelessly continued to break the law despite his prosecution and repeated warnings.

“Selling illegal tobacco damages legitimate businesses, harms public health and helps supply tobacco to young people.

“Do not tolerate the sale of illicit tobacco within your community.

“If you have any information about the smuggling, storage or sale of illicit produce, please call out Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”