Off-licence where illegal cigarettes and vapes found to have premises licence reviewed

The statutory licensing sub-committee at Wolverhampton Council will meet on Wednesday evening to consider an application for a review of the premises licence of European Mini Market, which is based on Prestwood Road in Heath Town.

The meeting on Wednesday follows an inspection on March 14 at European Mini Market by Trading Standards officers after it received intelligence of oversized vapes being seen on sale at the shop in November last year and in February.

On inspection, more than a thousand illegal cigarettes, multiple bags of hand rolling tobacco and more than 150 illegal vapes were discovered,, as well as a large quantity of money.

In a report which will be put before the committee, Gurdip Gill, the district officer for Trading Standards for Wolverhampton Council, outlined the full discovery made on the inspection.

He said: "Trading Standards Officers found 1,080 illegal cigarette, 16 pouches of hand rolling tobacco and 158 oversized vapes in the store.

"The vapes were openly displayed for sale on shelving in the counter area.

"Illegal cigarettes and pouches of hand rolling tobacco were found hidden in a holdall bag at the bottom of the shelving unit.

"A substantial amount of cash (seemingly in excess of 1,000) was also found in a small wall cupboard in the counter area."

Mr Gill also said that the cigarettes were not allowed to be sold in the UK as they carried foreign language warnings, were not in the permitted plain packaging required in the UK, appeared to have no duty paid and were suspected to be counterfeit.

The vapes were also found to have a nicotine tank larger than permitted, ranging from 3,500 to 9,000 puffs, which exceeded the 2ml tank capacity, equivalent to 600 puffs.

Among the vapes found were 32 Pro Max, 16 R&M Tornado, eight Fire Rose, 10 BOU Pro, 14 WGA Crystal, 27 ENE Legent and 51 ELUX Legend Mini vapes.

Mr Gill reported that the cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco and oversized vapes were bagged and taken away by trading standards, while the money was seized by West Midlands Police.

He also said that the premises licence holder, Kayfi Ismail, had engaged in "activities which have breached the licensing objectives, namely the prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm".

He also gave his recommendation of what the licensing sub-committee should do going forward.

He said: "Trading Standards recommends that licensing sub-committee considers suspension of the premises licence for three months to allow for staff training and the addition of robust conditions to the premises licence.

"In particular, the addition of a licence condition that European Mini Market will sign up to a responsible retailer scheme of an equivalent standard to Wolverhampton Council Trading Standards Responsible Retailer Scheme before the suspension lapses and any other matters as the sub-committee sees fit."

The meeting will be held at 10.30am tomorrow at Wolverhampton Civic Centre.