A 24-hour store in Liverpool has been stripped of its licence after an illegal worker was found on the premises and thousands of pounds worth of illicit vapes were seized.
Liverpool City Council’s Alcohol and Tobacco Unit began investigating Booze Butler in West Derby following suspicions it was selling unregulated vapes.
An inspection uncovered concealed stock with a market value of £3,500, reported the council.
When the store was served a three month closure order in result of its actions, the sole staff member on duty was found to have no right to work in the UK.
Subsequently, the store had its licence revoked in a move that would “prevent further criminal activity”, said the council.
Councillor Harry Doyle said: “We will always investigate businesses that are found to be ignoring these regulations and will continue to remove illicit vapes from the market to prevent them from harming individuals.
“During our investigations, we found further breaches of the law, which are entirely unacceptable. We hope this sends a message to other businesses that we will do what is necessary to keep our communities safe.Vapes can be a helpful alternative to smoking, but they should always be purchased from a reputable retailer.”
In the past year, the council has seized over 32,000 illicit vapes and cigarettes.
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