An off-licence and convenience store in Hangleton has had its alcohol licence revoked for selling counterfeit wine and smuggled cigarettes to children.
Dharni Stores sold fake Jacobs Creek wine as well as smuggled cigarettes and alcohol to children, a Brighton and Hove City Council Licensing Panel was told today.
The owners of the shop, in Hangleton Way, Hove, consistently ignored requests to comply with licensing law.
A joint action between the council’s trading standards team and Sussex Police earlier this year uncovered a number of practices that were in contravention of the licence.
During a test purchase in February when four cans of lager were sold to a 16-year-old, officers also found counterfeit Jacobs Creek wine on sale, non-duty paid whisky and vodka and 2,000 smuggled cigarettes under the counter.
In addition there were no “proof of age” posters in the shop and the CCTV monitor was not working.
After the investigations, trading standards officers called for a review of the licence.
Councillor Lizzie Deane, chairman of the council’s Licensing Committee and a panel member today, said: “Thanks to the effective partnership between our officers and the police, they successfully uncovered a number of practices that could cause significant harm to children and the wider public.
“We have a clear policy that licensees must take steps to ensure they do not sell alcohol to children.
“Counterfeit wine and spirits often contain industrial alcohol and other chemicals that are not intended for human consumption and carry an inherent risk to public health.
“Despite transfers of the licence, the panel still had concerns, as there was clear evidence that links still remained between the current management and the activities which continued to cause concern.
“The panel therefore had no hesitation in revoking this licence.”
