Second Wakefield store surrenders booze licence

An off-licence has surrendered its right to sell alcohol after police allegedly found counterfeit cigarettes at the premises.

Tiger’s Spirits, in Castleford, will no longer be allowed to stock booze following the claims.

Wakefield Council said it had been asked to review the store’s premises licence by West Yorkshire Police.

In normal circumstances, the issue would have gone to a public hearing, where the council would have considered stripping the shop, on Albion Street in the town, of its licence.

But the local authority has had the decision made for them.

Anthony Sadler, the council’s director of communities, said: “The licensing authority were asked to review the licence by West Yorkshire Police who had searched the premises and located quantities of illicit tobacco products.

“The licence holder surrendered their licence prior to any scheduled review hearing.”

Information supplied by the council said that undercover police officers carried out secret test purchases of illicit tobacco.

They later conducted a search of the premises where more “smuggled” products were discovered.

Tiger’s Spirits is the second store in the Five Towns of Wakefield in the space of a few days to give up its licence following the discovery of illicit tobacco.

Baryla, in Normanton, also surrendered its licence, last week.

Counterfeit cigarettes are often illegally smuggled into the UK and are sold under the counter free of VAT.

Health experts say these cigarattes are potentially more harmful than legal ones, as their contents can be unknown.

Numerous stores across the Wakefield and Five Towns areas have been in trouble with the authorities for selling them over the last few years.

Tiger’s Spirits was contacted for comment, but did not respond.