Shop could lose licence after illegal alcohol and vapes found during inspection

A shop could lose its licence after illegal alcohol and vapes were found during an inspection.

A total of 119 counterfeit bottles of vodka, whiskey and Jagermeister were found at Best-One Goshal General Store in Tividale, Oldbury, during an inspection in February.

Oversized vapes and prescription-only viagra was also on sale when the Tower Road shop was searched by Sandwell’s trading standards officers following a complaint.

The inspection will be discussed as part of a review of the shop’s licence by Sandwell Council’s licensing committee at a meeting in Oldbury on September 10.

As many as 76 oversized vapes, including vapes for the US market which were 12 times the permitted capacity, were seized by trading standards officers as well as more than 60 counterfeit bottles of vodka that had not paid UK duty, 40 bottles of whiskey and 17 bottles of Jagermeister all with false labels and no VAT. 

Trading standards also found 42 sachets of prescription-only oral jelly viagra that did not have UK labels.

Sandwell’s trading standards officers said the shop was ‘undermining the objective of preventing crime and disorder.’

West Midlands Police said it was “deeply concerned” by what was found during the inspection and called for the committee to revoke the licence. 

The force said in a response to Sandwell Council: “Given the discovery of 119 bottles of illicit alcohol and other illegal items on site, it is the view of West Midlands Police that the premises has undermined the crime and disorder objective and public safety objective contained within the Licensing Act 2003.

“Given the number of items found on site, it is the view of West Midlands Police that the licence should be revoked.”