The owner of a shop which sold illegal goods has failed in his bid to regain his alcohol licence.

Barzan Aubid, the sole director and operator of Baltic Bognor Ltd, was stripped of his licence in December after a West Sussex Trading Standards investigation found counterfeit cigarettes, vapes which exceeded the legal nicotine limit and a number of products such as vodka with non-compliant labelling were being sold from the premises.

Trading Standards had carried out a number of inspections of the shop at 3 Richmond Road, Bognor, dating back to 2017.

Mr Aubid appealed against the removal but on January 3 Worthing Magistrates’ Court upheld the decision to revoke the licence.

Mr Aubid had previously pleaded guilty at Worthing Magistrates’ Court after illegal cigarettes were found on the premises by Trading Standards officers in September 2018 when he received a fine plus costs.

On December 22 last year he also pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court to similar offences relating to illicit cigarettes sold from his premises in January 2022. Sentencing is due to take place on March 15, 2024 for these later offences.

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Worthing Magistrates’ Court dismissed Mr Aubid's appeal and awarded full costs of approximately £1,660 to Arun District Council as the licensing authority. As a result, Mr Aubid is now prohibited from selling alcohol. 

Councillor Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council cabinet member for community support, fire and rescue, said: “Illegal tobacco is a serious concern to public health and taking steps to eradicate it from the county forms an important element of our council plan and our priority to keep people safe.

“Counterfeit cigarettes can contain a wide range of hazardous substances and we would discourage anybody from buying any seemingly bargain-priced tobacco.”

Councillor Billy Blanchard Cooper, chairman of Arun District Council’s licensing committee, said: “It is reassuring that the court has upheld the decision of Arun’s licensing sub-committee to revoke the licence for this premises, following application for review.

“The Licensing Act 2003 contains important powers available to responsible authorities including the police, Trading Standards and environmental health as well as the public, to request review of premises licences, and is a key protection for the community where problems associated with the licensing objectives occur.”

Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious activity related to the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes directly to Trading Standards via: www.westsussex.gov.uk/TSreport