A North London off-licence is fighting to keep its licence after a police raid uncovered a stash of illegal tobacco hidden in a child's lollipop holder, followed by an underage alcohol sale just months later.
Sniffer Dog Uncovers Hidden Stash
Acting on intelligence, the Metropolitan Police visited Shiraz Wine in Kentish Town in April this year with a sniffer dog. The search, later joined by Camden Council officers, revealed illicit tobacco and vapes being sold cheaply from concealed locations, including inside sweet containers and boxes of whisky.
During the raid, an undercover officer had asked for 'cheaper tobacco' and was shown products hidden in the unusual lollipop holder. In a subsequent meeting, shop owner Mr Naeem Sadegi reportedly blamed his workforce, including a sister-in-law who police said spoke "very little English". Officers noted he became emotional and cried, with one writing it "felt like he was doing this to deflect the issues so that we felt sorry for him."
Sting Operation Catches Underage Sale
The problems at the shop did not end with the April raid. In September, the Met and the council launched a sting operation. This led to a shop assistant being caught selling alcohol to a visibly young girl without asking for any proof of ID.
This repeated offending has led Camden's Trading Standards department to advocate for the proprietor to lose his premises licence. The police officer on duty, PC Christopher Malone, emphasised the serious nature of the offences. "What you have to remember, this is a criminal offence and the majority of illicit tobacco comes from organised crime gangs," he said. "This venue is helping fund these gangs... to make as much money as he can off this local community."
Community Calls for Action
Local residents have lobbied the council, anonymously calling for the licence to be removed. They complained of suffering "over 1 year of anti-social and late night behaviour by customers, many of whom are very young, and who seem to be attracted to the shop by the ability to purchase illegal goods that they cannot obtain elsewhere."
PC Malone added that it made little sense for staff to act alone, given the shop was "bristling with CCTV" where they could easily be witnessed. The council also noted that Mr Sadegi, who took over the business in 2024, is in charge of another borough off-licence where illegal trading has occurred.
A scheduled licence review hearing was postponed from Thursday 4 December to a later date. The future of the Kentish Town shop now hangs in the balance as authorities and the community await the outcome.
