An off-licence has shut after illicit goods were found following two raids by police and the council.
Illegal tobacco, 13 bottles of counterfeit vodka and snap bag of cannabis were found at Winter Hey Wines when authorities visited the Horwich premises earlier this year.
Trading standards staff visited the property with a tobacco detection dog and officers from Greater Manchester Police after receiving “intelligence”, according to a notice outside the town hall.
It said: “At the premises a quantity of tobacco products which were not legal for supply in the UK, snap bag containing cannabis and approximately 13 bottles of vodka suspected of being counterfeit were all found.”
Another examination of some of the alcohol products took place when HMRC officers visited the property with police and the council in June, raising issues which they said required further investigation.
The first raid took place just three months after the owner dismissed allegations that illicit cigarettes had been sold from his shop for only £4 when he applied for a licence to sell alcohol.
Father-of-three Ozgur Ak, who previously ran a takeaway restaurant, told the licensing sub-committee that he is an honest family man at a town hall hearing in December.
Councillors granted Mr Ak a licence to supply alcohol until 11.30pm, later than any of its neighbouring competitors, despite concerns about the influx of customers expected at the store when local pubs and bars close.
Mr Ak has now permanently closed the shop in Winter Hey Lane after the council said it would review his premises licence.
Any interested party or responsible authority may make representations relating to the review by writing to Assistant Director Environmental Services, Bolton Council, Licensing Team, Ground Floor, Bolton Town Hall, Bolton BL1 1RU.
The date of a full hearing is yet to be arranged.
Bolton Council confirmed that no further action would be taken if the premises licence is surrendered.
Mr Ak told The Bolton News that he will surrender his licence.
Categories: LicensingLocations: BoltonAuthorities: Bolton Council
