Shop loses licence after illegal tobacco sales caught on CCTV

A CONVENIENCE store owner in Wakefield has lost his licence after being caught on camera selling illicit tobacco to customers.

Police used CCTV footage seized from the shop as evidence at a hearing where councillors revoked the Continental Food Store’s licence.

Images showed Dino Kaddir Rahimi taking illegal products from a “blind spot” under the counter and handing them to customers.

A licensing sub-committee was shown a series of clips from the Westgate store taken in December and November last year.

The evidence was seized after police and trading standards officers found 1,720 illegal cigarettes when they searched the off-licence.

A total of 86 illegal packs of Marlboro, L&M Blues, Richmond Blues and NZ Gold were found. Vapes were also being sold which were well above the legal nicotine limit.

Mr Rahimi told the committee he became involved in the sale of the illegal products months before being caught, having previously run the store for more than four years without being in trouble.

He added: “It is what it is. Whatever I have done is illegal and I hold my hands up.

“In many years we have never had problems with police or anything.

“We do not sell to under-age customers. We try very hard not to sell alcohol to drunken people.”

Mr Rahimi attended the hearing without legal representation.

Council legal officer Paul Jaques asked: “You admit stocking illegal tobacco on those clips that we have seen?” Mr Rahimi replied: “Yes.”

Mr Jacques then asked “Do you wish to say anything to the committee about how those products are brought into your shop?”

Mr Rahimi said the illegal items had been brought to him by a “friend” but could not reveal who the main distributor was.

Pc Toby Warden said the store previously had its licence suspended in 2019 when it had a different owner. He said authorities had repeatedly made efforts to help the shop comply with licensing conditions.

Licensing enforcement officer Paul Dean said: “The evidence we have today suggests that regardless of whoever has control of this store the same issues keep coming back.”

Announcing the decision to revoke the licence, the panel described Mr Rahimi’s actions as “serious and irresponsible”, adding: “Mr Rahimi was present during a number of CCTV clips which demonstrate that he was in control of the activities taking place.”