£3,500 bill as ex-boss of shops where £150,000 illegal booze and cigarettes found axes appeal
The boss of two shops where £150,000 of illegal booze and cigarettes was found in a police raid has withdrawn an appeal against his licence being revoked at the last minute.
Zemnako Azad Salih was licence holder at International Mini Market and Sam's Euro Style, both in Newhampton Road West, Whitmore Reans, when police and trading standards raided them on July 17 last year with sniffer dogs, uncovering the haul of alcohol and tobacco products.
The stores were found to have products hidden under floorboards and secret compartments in the walls, lost their licences last September.
After attending a directions hearing on October 20, Salih launched an appeal on December 1, and the hearing was due to begin yesterday at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court.
But Salih, of Newhampton Road, withdrew his appeal at the last minute, telling the court via an interpreter that he had sold the stores. He was ordered to pay £3,533 in costs to Wolverhampton City Council by the court.
Sarah Clover, representing Wolverhampton City Council, said that the authority hadn't been notified of the sale, but regardless, whoever was running the premises would now not have the relevant licence to sell alcohol.
She said: "I would ask the court not to show him any leniency for a number of reasons. He has been legally represented before at a directions hearing on October 20 last year, so it seems highly likely that he would have received advice about an appeal and the power to award costs.
"We fully expected the matter to proceed and did everything in our power to prepare for this hearing.
"There were eight witnesses for the council, all of whom we would have felt it necessary to speak.
"Seven of those have attended court in person today.
"This hearing was set down for three days of the court's time."
District judge Graeme Bennett said: "An application by Mr Salih was expected to be heard and it has been withdrawn immediately before the court was about to hear the case.
"The application was served on December 1, and today was set for the hearing of the appeal.
"A directions hearing after the licences were revoked took place on October 20, where Mr Salih was represented by legal counsel.
"It seems none of the directions were complied with.
"It is quite clear from the schedule that work for this case by the council was carried out in an efficient manner.
"It seems to me that it is appropriate for the court to order Mr Salih to pay Wolverhampton City Council's costs in full, which appears to be a modest amount."
