Claims that a Hove restaurant and bar was linked to drug dealing could cost the premises its drinks licence.
A panel is due to hear evidence of cocaine dealing at E39, in Western Road, Hove, before deciding what steps to take, with the prospect that it could have its licence revoked.
Sussex Police said earlier this month that four men had been arrested, brought before magistrates and remanded in custody, charged with drug dealing and money laundering.
After a raid and the arrests, the force applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for a summary review of the premises licence because police suspected that E39 was “associated with serious crime”.
The review is due to be held next Monday (30 June) and follows the suspension of the licence for E39, which is run by Seafront Hospitality Ltd. The business is owned by a Greek chef, Jonida Dera, 40.
She was not among the four people to have been charged with drugs and money laundering offences after a police raid of the premises on Monday 2 June.
The four were
- Klevis Doda, 31, of Hereford Court, The Drive, Hove, who was charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and with having criminal property
- Mahamoud Zayad, 33, of no fixed address, who was also charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and with having criminal property
- Eris Deraj, 41, of no fixed address, who was charged with being concerned in the offer to supply cocaine and with having criminal property.
- Fitzroy Morris, 61, of High Street, Brighton, charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and with having criminal property
The bench at Brighton Magistrates’ Court remanded all four men in custody when they were produced on Wednesday 4 June.
They are due to appear before a judge at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday 2 July to answer the charges.
In the meantime, next Monday at 10am, a council licensing panel is due to hold a hearing when three councillors are due to decide the premises’ fate.
E39, which also styles itself E Thirty Nine, reported a profit of £5,000 last year on a turnover of £385,000 and said that it had seven staff and a wage bill of £265,000.
Albanians pretending to be Greeks! What is this world coming to?
Mostly not Albanians, Kosovo more like with most of them never seen Albania and only speak a sub dialect, plenty of other hanger ons playing the game of “Albanian Gangster” from other countries, seen plenty of it in the construction industry, here, Germany. Holland, never ending,
Are these some of the strangers that Starmer spoke of?
How can 2 be of No Fixed Address-yet working or in the Premises.
Funny that isn’t it, that these just take the P*** of out the hard working people in the Uk-to many in the Uk for the wrong reasons, they say they want to work-but sometimes they do get treated awlfully but other im not sure on.
what about the ones that sit outside Vero Gusto on St. James’ Street EVERY DAY