Gulfport Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Contraband Cigarettes

Gulfport, Miss.  – A Gulfport man was sentenced to serve three years’ probation for trafficking contraband cigarettes, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jack Staton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

According to court documents, Sadeq Saif Farea a/k/a Sadeq Saif Qaid Farea, 43, knowingly purchased for resale 42,000 cigarettes and 36,000 cigarillos, which bore no evidence of the payment of applicable State cigarette taxes in the State of Mississippi, constituting contraband cigarettes.

In addition to a three year term of probation, Farea was ordered to pay $3,849.06 in restitution to the State of Mississippi Department of Revenue and a $2,500 fine.

Farea was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 25, 2020, and pled guilty on September 9, 2021.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.