A MAN jailed over the supply of illicit cigarettes to ‘tab houses’ has now been ordered to pay £55,383 as proceeds of crime.

David Hutchinson, 59, of Eden Lane, Peterlee, received a 13-month sentence at Durham Crown Court in March last year after admitting three counts of possessing counterfeit cigarettes.

His former partner, Amanda Liu, 43, who sold packs of fake makes of popular brands Mayfair and Richmond from the Chinese takeaway shop she runs in Peterlee, admitted eight counts of supplying counterfeit cigarettes.

She was given a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to perform 100-hours’ unpaid work at the sentencing hearing.

Following an investigation into the benefit they made, Liu, of Fulwell Road, Peterlee, was ordered to pay £1,876 at a crime proceeds hearing at the court.

Hutchinson must also pay £2,000 costs towards the expense of the hearing, while Liu was ordered to pay £500 costs.

In both cases they have three months to pay or risk up to five years in prison in default.

It follows a trading standards investigation into the sale of illicit cigarettes and rolling tobacco in the Peterlee area.

More than 86,000 cigarettes, £8,300 in cash and a small amount of rolling tobacco were discovered in June 2015 during raids on properties associated with Hutchinson and Liu.

The raids followed an operation, during which Liu supplied 133 packets of counterfeit cigarettes, worth around £500 to an undercover trading standards officer

Hutchinson came under scrutiny after information was recived that he was supplying to the so-called ‘tab houses’, using the New Century Chinese takeaway as cover.

Following the case, Joanne Waller, Durham County Council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said: “Illegal tobacco is not welcome on our streets. Not only does it have serious consequences for our health, it can make it easier for our children and young people to smoke and brings crime into our communities.

“We’re working extremely hard to crack down on it and will continue to do so, taking legal action against anyone suspected of involvement.”