Convenience Store Faces Licence Review Over Counterfeit Vodka and Illegal Vapes
- teessidetoday
- Feb 27
- 3 min read
Hartlepool Borough Council set to review the licence of a shop reportedly selling counterfeit Vodka & vapes.
27th Feb 2025
Hartlepool Borough Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee is set to review the premises licence of a local Convenience Store following allegations of illegal trading.
Its claimed Hartlepool Borough Councils Trading Standards Department raised concerns that the store, operated by Mr. Amandip Singh Kapoor, had been caught selling counterfeit and potentially dangerous vodka, along with illegal vapes.
A Dangerous Discovery
Its said that On 5th September 2024, officers from Hartlepool Borough Councils Trading Standards and Environmental Health Team conducted an inspection of Belle Vue Convenience Store after receiving an alert from the Food Standards Agency. The alert reportedly warned of counterfeit 35cl bottles of Glens Vodka containing the industrial solvent isopropyl alcohol, a substance unfit for human consumption & can cause alcohol poisoning or even death. During the visit, its claimed Trading Standards Officers discovered five bottles of the counterfeit vodka openly on sale.
Subsequent testing of the Vodka confirmed the alcohol content did not match the declared strength of 37.5% and contained isopropyl alcohol. This discovery prompted a wider search of the premises, which then led to the seizure of 194 illegal vapes stored behind the counter, on display, and in a back room.
Mr. Kapoor’s Defence – A Questionable Explanation
In an interview, Mr. Kapoor claimed he had purchased the vodka from 'legitimate sources' and provided invoices from regional cash-and-carry businesses. However, Trading Standards were said to have disputed his claims, pointing out that there was no traceability information linking the counterfeit vodka to any known supplier. Investigations by food safety teams from Gateshead and Stockton-on-Tees Councils also found no evidence of counterfeit vodka at the cash-and-carry stores cited by Mr. Kapoor.
Back of a Van Job !
Regarding the illegal vapes, its claimed Mr. Kapoor then stated he'd purchased a portion of them from a man selling them out of the back of a Mercedes van. He also admitted to acquiring additional vapes from a legitimate supplier, providing an electronic invoice for 21 of the 194 seized items. Trading Standards acknowledged that these 21 vapes may have been obtained in good faith, but the remaining 173 were deemed to be illegal.
Legal Implications and Licence Review
In a report set to go before councillors on the 5th March 2025, The case against Belle Vue Convenience Store centres on a breach of the Licensing Act 2003, specifically in relation to:
The prevention of crime and disorder
Public safety
Under Section 51 of the Act, a premises licence review can result in several outcomes, including:
No action
Modifying licence conditions
Restricting licensable activities or hours
Suspending the licence for up to three months
Revoking the licence entirely
Government guidance (para 11.28) states that where a premises is found to be involved in criminal activities, the licensing authority should seriously consider revoking the licence, even if it is the first instance.
The review application is also said to have been backed by both Cleveland Police, & Hartlepool Borough Council’s Public Health Department, who've raised concerns over the health risks posed by counterfeit alcohol and illegal vapes.
What Happens Next?
The Licensing Sub-Committee is set to meet on 5th March 2025 to review the evidence and determine the store’s fate. Given the severity of the offences and the potential risk to public health, a full revocation of Belle Vue Convenience Store’s licence is a very real possibility according to a source we spoke to at Hartlepool Borough Council, with Hartlepool Borough Council saying the case serves as a stark warning to other traders in Hartlepool that the sale of counterfeit and illegal goods will not be tolerated, and that the council is prepared to take firm action to protect the community.
