Hillingdon shop suspended after illicit tobacco was found and rules broken regularly.
The council’s worries stemmed from three incidents between 2022 and 2024. Khaneja Food & Booze was found to have broken rules when, in June 2022, the shop sold an e-cigarette to a child, resulting in a warning.
In July 2024, officers discovered illegal tobacco hidden in crisp boxes. Mr. Khaneja admitted to selling it, claiming he obtained it from others. Later, police found the shop lacked proper licenses on display and couldn’t produce their main license.
The shop also failed to keep CCTV footage for the required 31 days. Council officers then discovered four more breaches the next day. The shop did not show Challenge 25 posters, lacked licenses again, retained CCTV for only seven days, and their staff training logs were missing.
Mr. Khaneja became the license holder in 2024, although he had been involved since 2022 and took a course. However, the council observed repeated rule breaking, concluding that he ignored both laws and licensing regulations.
The council believed he demonstrated poor judgment by selling illegal tobacco and struggled to explain the rules during a hearing in January. The council thinks Mr. Khaneja is the core issue, stating he doesn’t comprehend the regulations and manages the business inadequately.
The license is suspended until March 9, 2025. During this time, all staff must undergo licensing training and sign training documents. Mr. Khaneja also needs additional training to refresh his knowledge of the Licensing Act, and authorities can inspect the training records.