Peterborough shop set to have licence reviewed over sales of illicit tobacco
The review is the second the shop has had to face in the last 12 months.
Cambridgeshire Police have requested a review of the licence of a Peterborough shop over the sale of illicit tobacco.
On November 28, officers executed a warrant at UK Plus EU at 27 Broadway and found a number of foreign cigarettes and tobacco on the premises.
According to the report to the city’s licencing committee, the persons involved of the running of the shop are suspected of being involved and facilitating the selling of illicit tobacco.
Tobacco products require a UK English language warning statement on the front of packets of cigarettes and pouches of hand rolling tobacco. They also require a picture warning on the rear.
The cigarettes seized do not have the correct labelling - although some may have the health warning on - they are not in English.
It is also unlikely that these cigarettes would pass the reduced ignition propensity test. This is where you light a cigarette and if left to burn in an ash tray it would hit the first of three speed bumps and go out but foreign cigarettes would burn all the way to end and potentially cause a house fire if left.
The hand rolling tobacco found is also expected to be counterfeit as they appear to be too small and the cigarettes/tobacco are suspected to be either brands not legitimate for retail in the UK/ counterfeit or genuine non-UK duty paid products.
This is the second time 12 months the the police have requested a review of the premises licence.
The shop had its right to sell alcohol after police found an alleged weapon behind its counter and stolen goods in its store room following a meeting in January.
When contacted by police, the licence holder Alan Ali-Amer responded by email stating: “I can confirm that I no longer work at UK plus -
“I left at the end of September and have no interest in that place. I informed the council that I no longer work there when I left.
"As far as I am aware the business was sold I do not have the details the previous owner would have full details.”
Peterborough City Council’s licencing committee will now consider the application.