Bristol Shop Loses Licence for Selling Suspected Stolen Wine

Bristol: A convenience store has lost its licence after police found 41 bottles of wine. They suspected the wine was stolen from local supermarkets.

The store, MM International, faced scrutiny from Bristol city councillors. Police believed the owner, Rebin Rafiq Mohammed, bought the wine from thieves.

Mr. Mohammed denied the claims, but the investigation is ongoing. Police licensing officer Louise Mowbray said the store contributed to crime by selling stolen goods.

During a hearing, evidence showed Mr. Mohammed’s explanation was not credible. He claimed to buy the wine from a closing shop but had no receipts.

Police visited the store after reports of selling age-restricted products to minors. They seized the wine, which had supermarket branding, and two bottles of spirits.

Issues with the store’s CCTV and lack of sales logs were also noted. Staff were unaware of the licensing requirements, which were being violated.

Officers found wine from major brands like Sainsbury’s, Co-op, and Tesco. Some bottles showed signs of tampering, indicating they might have been stolen.

Ms. Mowbray expressed concern about public safety. She said the store’s actions encouraged further crime in the area.

Despite some changes made at the store, officials felt there was still a risk. They recommended revoking the licence due to ongoing issues.

Mr. Mohammed’s lawyer argued he didn’t knowingly sell stolen alcohol. He claimed to have bought it from a legitimate source going out of business.

Steps were taken to comply with licensing rules, including staff training and fixing CCTV. However, the panel found the evidence against the store compelling.

Chairman Cllr Stephen Williams stated there were serious breaches of licensing conditions. The lack of proof of purchase raised further concerns about public safety.

Ultimately, the panel decided to revoke the store’s licence, citing a failure to uphold licensing objectives.