Illegal sales lead to loss of licence for Chesterfield trader
A Chesterfield retailer has lost his licence to sell alcohol after breaking a number of trading laws including sales to underage buyers.
Fawad Karim, owner of West Bars Convenience Store, lost his licence for:
Selling alcohol to underage volunteers
Stocking vodka not produced at a legitimate distillery
Possessing 7,000 cigarettes which did not have UK Duty paid
Under the Licensing Act 2003 it is an offence to sell alcohol to under 18s and retailers can have their licence modified, suspended or revoked.
Derbyshire County Council's Trading Standards − as a responsible authority under the act − can apply for a review of a licence if it feels the requirements of the act are being broken. This review was supported by Derbyshire police.
Chesterfield Borough Council's licensing sub-committee met on Thursday (17 November) and made the decision to revoke the store's licence.
Councillor Kevin Parkinson, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:
"We have a duty to enforce the licensing laws and protect public safety."These are very serious breaches of the law and we are pleased with the outcome of the hearing."
Action was taken after police and trading standards officers received a number of complaints that under age sales were taking place at the store.
The business was also identified as a problem premises by The Chesterfield VAL (Violence, Alcohol and Licensing) Group, which is made up of representatives from trading standards, police and the local community safety partnership.
A 17-year-old volunteer was twice sold four cans of lager on separate visits organised by trading standards to West Bars Convenience Store on 30 July 2011.
On 14 September 2011 a follow-up visit was made by trading standards officers, police and officers from Chesterfield Borough Council environmental health.
They found and seized bottles of Arctic Ice Vodka on sale which had been illegally produced and failed to comply with labelling requirements.
Mr Karim gave police officers permission to search his car and home address. They found 1,600 cigarettes in his car and a further 5,400 at his home − none of which had entered the UK through proper channels or had UK Duty paid on them.
Packaging also failed to comply with UK labelling and health warnings.
The premises licence holder has 21 days to appeal the decision.