Off-licence in Netherhall, Leicester, stocked illicit booze

Trading standards and customs officials found more than 150 bottles of smuggled booze during an inspection of an off-licence.

Officers visited Cardinals Store in Netherhall, Leicester, after a tip-off from a member of the public about the stock on offer.

Now the business could lose its licence to sell alcohol after trading standards staff applied for a review.

Members of Leicester City Council's licensing committee will discuss the matter when they meet on Tuesday 30.

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A report by trading standards officer John Fox, to be considered by councillors, said the store in Cardinals Walk, was visited by the authorities on June 28 following a complaint.

He said: "An inspection of the shop's stock of alcoholic drinks was carried out.

"A significant quantity of illicit, smuggled bottles of alcoholic drink were discovered both on the shelves in the sales area and in a store room at the rear of the shop."

In all, 162 bottles of Italian wine, a dozen bottles of vodka and three bottles of whisky were confiscated by customs officers, who estimate their value to be more than £540.

Mr Fox's report said: "An officer from HM Revenue and Customs has since confirmed she was satisfied excise duty and VAT had not been paid on the goods because the bottles of spirits did not carry a compliant duty stamp and the Italian wine brands were known as being imported into the country without having the duty and VAT paid on them."

Licence holder Parbat Ravanaya said in a report to the council he had purchased some of the wine from a person in a van but had no details of who it was. He said he had no recollection of what he had paid for the rest, or any paperwork.

The vodka and whisky bottles all had counterfeit duty stamps on the labels.

The Leicester Mercury contacted the store and was told by a member of staff she did not know about the hearing.

When she was shown the council's report, she said most shopkeepers "were doing it".