'Smuggled goods' Spalding shop could lose premises licence
Employing an illegal worker, selling medicines that require a prescription and selling smuggled goods are among offences police have linked to a Spalding shop.
Now police are seeking to review the premises licence for Delicja held by Mohammad Salih Attuf since May 1 this year, and a licensing panel hearing will be held on Thursday, November 28.
Lincolnshire Police has already successfully opposed the transfer of the premises licence of Delicja, in Westlode Street, to Aram Salar, who left the country after illegal products were found at a shop he operated in Swindon in 2011/12.
Mr Salar left the country before a court case was heard - and arrested on his return five years later. He was jailed for two months for failing to surrender to custody.
A report to the licensing panel committee says police found:
* The premises employed an illegal worker - someone in the country legally but with no right to work here
* Medicines without English on the packaging, thereby "endangering" consumers, and some of the medicines required a prescription, making it a "controlled drug"
* Beer without price labels being sold for such a low price that "the likelihood is that it was smuggled"
* Alcohol being sold to a child
The report says: "The Licensing Act 2003 is clearly intended to prevent crime and disorder from occurring in relation to licensed premises but also to deter and prevent criminals from operating a premises under the auspices of a premises licence granted by the local authority."
The report continues: "Where premises are found to be trading irresponsibly, the licensing authority should not hesitate, where appropriate to do so, to tackle the problems at the premises and, where other measures are deemed insufficient, to revoke the premises licence."