Licence review after 'illegal cigarettes' sold
GoogleA shop is to have its licence reviewed after several alleged breaches including concerns illegal cigarettes were being sold.
Hartlepool Council's Trading Standards team received a tip-off about Bellevue Booze in Sydenham Road.
Officers were able to buy a packet of "counterfeit Lambert & Butler Silver cigarettes" on two occasions from the same member of staff during test purchases last October, council papers said.
Hadi Azagh, the shop's licence holder, told the authority he was not in the country at the time and he "wasn't totally sure who was working at the time of the sales".
An additional inspection also found high-strength lagers and ciders on sale that "were in breach of the premises' licence", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A review application from Trading Standards said Mr Azagh "agreed he had no control of the premises during this time and doesn't know who the person selling the illicit tobacco is from the description of the test purchaser".
He also said the sale of the single cans of high strength lager and cider was "due to an error in his understanding" around the conditions of his licence.
Council documents added the store was also found "not fully complying with the CCTV requirement" on the licence, as there was no camera covering the till area.
The council document noted Mr Azagh was given a final warning by Trading Standards in 2023 following similar issues around illegal cigarettes and high-strength lager and cider.
The documents show Mr Azagh at the time had said the cigarettes had been "bought from a man in a van after he was assured they were OK to sell, as they were bought from a duty free outlet".