Black Country shop owner loses licence after cigarettes found hidden in ceiling
The owner of a Walsall shop has lost his licence after more than 15,000 illegal cigarettes were found hidden in in the ceiling.
Three separate raids on European Off Licence and Convenience store in Wolverhampton Road, between 2018 and 2020, saw more than 56,000 illicit cigarettes seized by Walsall Trading Standards, prompting the call for a licence review.
A licensing sub committee was told how owner Bikramjit Singh Mann had let the business out to different tenants since 2017 and wasn’t in charge when the incidents happened.
The premises licence holder said he had hired letting agents to find suitable tenants on his behalf.
But members decided that, despite this, Mr Mann “failed to exercise adequate or any control of the premises” which resulted in the illegality occurring.
Evidence submitted to the committee showed that, on October 24, 2018, Trading Standards officers found 15,300 cigarettes and small amount of hand rolling tobacco hidden in a store room ceiling.
A raid on September 13 2019 saw 19,000 cigarettes and a small amount of hand rolling tobacco found on stairs leading to the flat above the shop.
And on August 24 last year, 22,380 cigarettes and a small amount of hand rolling tobacco was seized from the shop.
Trading Standards call for the revocation of the licence was backed by West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and Walsall public health.
Ian Vesey, defending, said Mr Mann and his wife had moved back into the flat above the shop to keep a closer eye on the premises in light of these incidents.
He also stopped the tenants selling alcohol from the shop and warned them – and his letting agents – that they would be out if any further offences were committed.
Mr Vesey said: “Mr Mann has had the licence for a long period of time since 2005.
“During that time, he ran the property fully himself and there was no issue at all with the licence. He’s then decided to work elsewhere but still lived close to the premises and have been in contact with the operators.
“The cigarettes were well hidden and not obvious to everybody – even him coming into the premises, which he was regularly doing to keep an eye on things.
“This was happening behind his back because it is an illegal activity. He’s anxious to ensure that nothing happens in the future in this way.
“He has spoken to the agents who deal with the tenants. He has been unsatisfied with their service and asked them on a number of occasions to check the tenancy. They are the ones that have confirmed the tenants are appropriate people to run it.
“This is an investment for his family. It is something for him and his wife to earn money from but not in an illegal way because he managed to sustain the business without any legality.
“He is anxious to ensure nothing illegal happens in the property. He lives above it, he doesn’t want the kind of crime and disorder to happen on his doorstep.”
Walsall Council solicitor Paul Green said: “Mr Mann has confirmed he has little involvement with the premises and the tenants that he has leased the property to over the years.
“The committee notes Mr Mann expresses his regret for his complacency in this regard and has indicated that he is now taking measures to address the issues arising, which includes his recent return and physical occupation of the flat above the shop.
“The committee are however of the view that Mr Mann had several opportunities to take corrective action but manifestly failed to do so.
“Mr Mann has demonstrated a blatant disregard of his responsibilities and are unsympathetic to his efforts to excuse himself by raising the failures of his letting agents.
“It is and always has been incumbent on Mr Mann to understand and comply with his responsibilities.
“Evidence has been put forward and accepted by Mr Mann that he was warned orally and in writing concerning the activities were taking place at the premises and what possible ramifications could follow,
“Despite this, on several subsequent occasions, Mr Mann has failed to promote the licensing objectives and demonstrate that he is a fit and proper person to continue to hold a licence.
“Therefore, in light of his continued failures in this regard, the premises licence is revoked.”
