Potential new boss of Wakefield off-licence has record of selling illegal cigarettes in Preston, police say

Omar Ahmed is applying to become the new licence holder at Wars Sawa International Supermarket, which runs under the name WIS Market Euro Food Store, on Kirkgate in Wakefield city centre.

But West Yorkshire Police has objected to the application, claiming it is an attempt to "frustrate" a criminal investigation into various alleged issues at the store. They also say Mr Ahmed has previously sold counterfeit tobacco in Preston, and is therefore unfit for the job.

Two staff members with no legal right to work in the UK were found employed at WIS in September, police papers said, while around 2,600 illicit cigarettes and a pepper spray, which is a banned item under the Firearms Act, were also discovered the same day.

A hearing in November, which could have seen WIS stripped of its licence to sell booze, was then postponed after a last-minute bid by the store's current boss, Sabir Sadiq to transfer the licence to Mr Ahmed.

But police have asked Wakefield Council not to approve the transfer, as they believe it would undermine the fight against crime in the city.

In papers released ahead of a new hearing on Thursday, PC Toby Warden said: "Omar Ahmed carried out no research in relation to the premises and the issues it faced.

"Having spoken with Preston Council Licensing I have been informed that Omar Ahmed has been involved with premises selling illicit counterfeit tobacco.

"This was then followed on November 15 2019 by an application to transfer the premises licence. This was also the same day of the review hearing.

"Police believe that this application has been received in an attempt to undermine the review process, frustrate the police investigation and merely pass the premises licence round allowing the continued sales of illicit counterfeit tobacco."

A panel of three councillors will decide whether or not the transfer can go ahead.

Local Democracy Reporting Service