Salford-based retailer and former police officer, Priyesh Vekaria, has criticised the police and fire service’s due diligence following a “heavy-handed raid” at his store, prompted by an anonymous tip-off.
On 30 June, around eight to nine officers from Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service arrived at One Stop Carlton after an allegation suggested the store had been selling fireworks to minors.
During the visit, officers were granted access to all areas of the store and no traces of fireworks were discovered, Priyesh tells Convenience Store.
Priyesh’s expectations for the authorities have fallen short. He says their focus often falls unfairly on compliant retailers who face “heavy scrutiny, without cause and without communication,” while rogue traders continue to operate “unchecked and unpunished.”
Rather than approaching the store directly, Priyesh - who was not present at the time of the incident - noticed on CCTV that the group of officers “deliberately” positioned themselves at the side of the building, appearing to hide next to the wall.
“The search began with a fire officer going behind the counter and asking one of the team members to open up the drawers behind the counter,” he says.
“When they entered the stockroom, one of the supervising officers went outside to tell the officers who were behind the wall to come into the store. The officers were looking in empty boxes and looked fed up that they hadn’t found anything. A bit peed off, you could say”.
Priyesh explains one officer failed to meet “even the most basic” identification standards with “no visible service badge, no collar identification, no insignia or branded uniform and no displayed ID card to indicate any official authority.”
The lack of appropriate police markings and presentation is “clearly visible in the recorded footage” and “raises serious questions about procedural adherence and public transparency”, he adds.
Upon Priyesh’s arrival at the store, the officers were concluding the search and he was informed of the allegations. “First and foremost, I’ve never sold fireworks on that site and I’ve never applied for a licence to sell fireworks, just because I know how much trouble it attracts”.
He was told that he would receive a written follow-up, but he has yet to receive the communication from the police or fire service three weeks later.
Responding to the incident, a Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson said: “Following reports of fireworks being sold, a GMFRS Station Manager and colleagues from Greater Manchester Police conducted a visit to One Stop Carlton convenience store to check whether fireworks were being stored on the premises.
“The business owner fully cooperated and no concerns were found. As this was not a pre-planned visit, the outcome was not confirmed in writing. GMFRS will ensure that this is now undertaken.”
Priyesh says staff were left feeling upset by the situation as they take great pride in their role within the community. “We do everything as we should and we’re completely compliant and responsible. We felt victimised because they treated like suspects.
“We always put our community first whether that’s through offering great value for money or providing a positive shopping experience.”
He also expressed disappointment over the conduct of the officers involved, saying their approach was ”heavy-handed and completely uncalled for”, given the store’s strong record of compliance and community service.
“I completely get compliance, governance and enforcement. The manner in which they conducted the search and the resources that they threw at it, without doing any due diligence.
“If they had done their due diligence from a desktop, they would have realised by doing company house searches or even the licencing searches with the local council, they would have found that all our team members are personal licence holders”.
Questioning whether there was a case of mistaken identity or if they had visited the wrong store, Priyesh said he felt shocked, disappointed and disheartened. “I feel like because we are responsible and compliant, we’re easy targets.”
“I think they need to go back and do some grassroots policing. It doesn’t take much to sit outside a shop in an unmarked vehicle and see what products are being sold from there. Especially in Salford, where it’s rife,” adds Priyesh.
Speaking to Convenience Store, a spokesperson from Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers visited a store on Grecian Street, Salford, on 30 June, following reports that illicit and harmful items may be being distributed from there.
”We are under a duty to investigate these allegations, and officers attended the store as part of their investigation. We have received a complaint in relation to this, which will be assessed and reviewed appropriately”.
In an email seen by Convenience Store, Trading Standards confirmed they had no involvement in the investigation.
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