The alcohol licence for a convenience store in Poole, Dorset, has been revoked by authorities following links to criminal activity.
The store, called Ashley Vegas, has seen its alcohol sales licence removed for three months after it was linked with criminal activity and the sale/storage of vapes that did not comply to regulations.
An initial multi-agency visit took place in February of this year involving Dorset Police, HMRC and the region’s Trading Standards team.
They found nearly 300 illegal vapes and cigarettes which officers seized. At the time of the visit, licence holder Hiwa Yousefzedah wasn’t present but a friend there in his place was described as “obstructive and unhelpful.”
Many of the non-compliant illegal vapes found had 10ml of liquid in them - well above the 2ml that’s legally allowed.
In addition, no staff training records were available, an incidental and refusal log was not kept and the operation and recording of CCTV footage was also questioned.
A further visit in April followed a letter sent about the breaches which was but not responded to, with Yousefzedah present. He told officers he intended to become the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) after he completed a personal licence course, having apparently only recently taking over the licence.
In July Yousefzedah was indeed granted a personal licence, but authorities report nothing has been received in relation to changing the DPS.
Andy Crossen-White, a Trading Standards officer present during the initial visit, told the committee he believed a majority of vapes found in a car were intended to be sold in the store.
The recommendation offered was to suspend the sale of alcohol from the store for three months. When asked why the licensing authority hadn’t asked for a full licence revoke, officer Tania Jardim said it was “to give the applicant one last chance”.
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