A North Tyneside man who was found with more than £100,000 worth of illegal tobacco products has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Alan Peacock, 72, admitted eight offences related to the products seized from his Wallsend home. He was sentenced on Friday 21 November 2025 at Newcastle Crown Court.
He pleaded guilty to two trademark offences, three offences under the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations, and three labelling offences under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations.
On 10 July last year, North Tyneside Trading Standards officers executed a warrant at Peacock’s home, resulting in the seizure of illicit tobacco, cigarettes, and a quantity of Viagra pills. The items were found in a bedroom, loft, living room, and on the stairs.
Items seized included:
- 4,425 packets of cigarettes
- 979 pouches of Tobacco
- 830 Viagra pills
Northumbria Police also recovered £6,245, plus 20 Euros and 850 Turkish Lira.
During sentencing, the judge noted that Peacock had benefited financially from the offences, with the cash seized by police. He acknowledged Peacock’s remorse and cooperation but said the packaging offences added to the seriousness of the case.
Peacock received a 14-month prison sentence for trademark offences and nine months for packaging offences, concurrent, suspended for 18 months, along with 150 hours of unpaid work over the next year, contribution of £400 towards costs and a surcharge, and forfeiture of all seized products.
Councillor Sandra Graham, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and the Climate Emergency, said: “This outcome reflects the hard work of our Trading Standards team and Northumbria Police in tackling illegal tobacco in our area. These products don’t meet the standards required by law and removing them from circulation helps protect consumers. We’ll continue to take firm action where offences are found.”
Chief Inspector David Morrison, of Northumbria Police’s North Tyneside Area Command, said: “This is another great example of working alongside our partners to seize illegal items.
“Illicit tobacco might seem harmless to many people, and in many cases they are cheaper to buy than legitimate goods, but we often see their sale linked to wider types of offending and, often, serious and organised crime which can cause significant harm to our communities.
“If you have information about the sale of illicit items, please let us know so that we can act upon it.”
Anyone wanting to report suspicious activity in their community linked to the sale of illegal tobacco products can do so by sending a direct message to Northumbria Police’s social media accounts or by using the live chat on the Force’s website.
For those unable to contact police via the above ways, call 101.
Those aware of any ongoing sale or supply of illicit and counterfeit tobacco products can report anonymously via the Keep-It-Out website at: https://keep-it-out.co.uk/anonymous-reporting/
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.