Westgate store owner faces losing licence after police seized 1,720 illegal cigarettes and vapes

The owner of Continental Food Store faces losing his license over the discovery on December 4 last year.

Authorities visited the store, on Westgate, after it was found that illicit or counterfeit tobacco products were being sold.

Details of the products seized are detailed in documents submitted to Wakefield Council.

A total of 86 illegal packs of Marlborough, L&M Blues, Richmond Blues and NZ Gold were found

Vapes were also being sold which were above the legal nicotine limit.

In a statement applying for a premises licence review, PC Toby Warden said: “The sale of illegal/foreign label cigarettes is classed as serious organised crime with tax evasion.

“Evidence of such operations at the premises demonstrates quite clearly that the premises is failing to promote the licensing objectives, including crime and disorder.”

PC Warden has requested that councillors consider revoking the store licence.

He said further details of the investigation will be submitted at a hearing before a licensing sub-committee scheduled for January 23.

Chris Wathen, a council public health officer, has called for similar action to be taken against licence holder Dino Kaddir Rahimi.

He said: “Mr Dino Kaddir Rahimi is responsible for the items sold in his shop and in my view there is no question that illegal cigarettes and tobacco were being sold in an area of the building he had clear control of for sale to the public.

“The illegal activity demonstrates that Mr Rahimi has shown little to no regard to promote any of the licensing objectives.”

Licensing enforcement officer Paul Dean has also called for a licence review.

He said: “The findings from the night of action with both West Yorkshire Police and Trading Standards, and colleagues from licensing enforcement clearly show that the store is involved in the sales of smuggled goods.”

The report says the store’s premises licence was previously placed under review in March 2019 when it had a different licence holder.