Store licence is revoked over cigarettes sales

The decision follows trading standards seizing 6,000 cigarettes and 1,600g of hand-rolling tobacco in plastic bags, bin liners and a black holdall at Lifestyle Convenience Store in London Road.

The seizure followed the purchase of Lithuanian packet of Marlboro Gold.

A member of staff was also seen picking up a black holdall from behind the till and immediately walking out of the rear of the shop, before returning without the holdall, when officers entered the store back in December.

The licence was revoked at yesterday’s Licensing Act 2003 Sub Committee meeting at Peterborough City Council.

Committee chairman Cllr Peter Hiller said the committee had “no alternative” after hearing the evidence from Trading Standards officer Karen Woods.

Store license holder Ardalan Mahmood and supervisor Ahmed Ghafoor were at the meeting and blamed Mr Mustafa for the problems.

Mr Mahmood, speaking through an interpreter, told the meeting: “Mr Mustafa was a potential buyer of the lease, I could not stop him from doing what it was that he was doing, but the tobacco products were his, I swear.

“The sale of the lease fell through in April and Mr 
Mustafa disappeared from 
Peterborough to another 
city.”

However, Cllr Hiller asked why illicit tobacco was being sold at the store a month after Mr Mustafa had left.

After the meeting Mr Ghafoor said the lease had now been transferred to a new owner by the owner of the site’s freehold.”