A York shop has had its licence revoked following the seizure of hundreds of illicit cigarettes and vapes - and after a man was found to be working there illegally.
York councillors revoked the licence of Slavic Foods, in Crichton Avenue, Clifton, following a number of visits from trading standards and North Yorkshire Police officers from December to March.
City of York Council’s lawyer Victoria Waudby said repeated and continued failures to comply with licensing rules had been found leaving the authority with no option other than to revoke the licence.
North Yorkshire Police Licensing Manager Sgt Jackie Booth said their findings left them with no confidence in the business’ ability to comply with licensing rules.
The decision on Thursday, September 5 comes after council trading standards and police officers first visited the shop in December following reports of tobacco products and vapes being sold illegally.
Slavic Foods has held a licence since August 2021, with its current one held since December.
A total of 242 illicit products including cigarettes and rolling tobacco were seized along with 147 vapes, including ones which exceeded nicotine limits.
More vapes were seized during a further visit later that month.
Officers found a man working at the shop during a further visit in February.
He refused to give his details to the police and to co-operate with officers and was arrested and detained.
Officers found he did not have the legal right to work in the UK but councillors heard he knew how to operate the shop’s shutters and tills.
Further licence breaches were found at the premises in March.
Councillors heard breaches included not keeping records of staff training or CCTV footage.
Council lawyer Ms Waudby said the only reasonable course of action was to revoke the shop’s licence.
Sgt Booth said the premises had seriously undermined the objectives it was required to uphold as part of its licence.
No one from Slavic Foods submitted a statement ahead of the decision or appeared to speak at Thursday’s hearing.
A trading standards investigation into the sale of the tobacco and vapes remains ongoing.
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