A Tuebrook shop where hundreds of illegal cigarettes and illicit vapes were seized faces a crunch meeting that could lead to its licence being revoked.
L6 Food Store on West Derby Road could face limitation or removal of its premises licence after a review of its terms were launched by Liverpool Council. A hearing by the city’s licensing and gambling sub-committee will be held after a series of raids on the business earlier this year when contraband material worth around £3,000 was found in a joint operation between the council and Merseyside Police.
Documents made public ahead of the meeting on 8 November reveal how in January and May two visits to the property uncovered hundreds of illicit items and a review has now been instigated regarding the business’ obligations to prevent crime and disorder.
Public protection unit officers alongside officers from Merseyside Police visited the store and discovered 280 cigarettes and 82 illicit vapes. Having received what it described as “numerous intelligence reports” a second visit was made to the shop on 18 May.
On that occasion, 880 illicit cigarettes were found, as well as hand-rolling tobacco that was also not permitted for sale. More than 70 bottles of various sizes containing counterfeit spirits and wine were available for purchase.
Illegal vapes were also seized with a street value of £1,575. The cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol was valued at £1,520. According to representations made by Liverpool Council, when a staff member at the food store was approached and asked to account for the counterfeit goods, “he could not give a reasonable explanation just that he bought it off a Romanian male in a van.”
Under its existing terms, the licence at the premises is held by Aso Ahmadpor, permitting the sale of alcohol from 7am to 11pm Sunday to Wednesday and until midnight from Thursday to Sunday. Should the licensing and gambling sub-committee see fit, it could modify the terms by which the shop can trade either permanent or for up to three months.
This can include excluding a particular activity within the licence, such as the sale of alcohol. Additionally, it can move to remove the designated premises supervisor, suspend or fully revoke the premises licence altogether.
The LDRS attempted to contact the business for comment.
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