An Old Swan shop that allegedly used a baby monitor to place orders for illegal goods has been stripped of its premises licence. Liverpool Council’s licensing and gambling sub-committee has moved to revoke the terms at Old Swan Off Licence on Prescot Road after illegal cigarettes and male enhancement pills were sold on multiple occasions.
It has now lost permission to sell alcohol and must remain shut for a further month after it was closed down by the courts in September. Mike Hearty, Liverpool trading standards public protection enforcement officer, told Liverpool Town Hall a closure order was secured against the business for two months.
Undercover test purchases
Mr Hearty said over a period of months, six test purchases were carried out at the shop in which undercover officers were able to buy illicit cigarettes on each occasion. Committee chair Cllr Christine Banks said she was “absolutely appalled” at how the business had continued to operate and the city has “had enough of it”.
On one occasion in March this year, a counterfeit packet was sold to a trading standards officer for £5. The retail price for a legitimate pack of cigarettes is said to be around £16.
Baby monitor discovery
Mr Hearty said investigations also found one half of a baby monitor concealed around the till area that they were of the view had been used to order illicit goods with. During the same test purchase, three packs of a male enhancement pill were found on sale for £3 each.
These were seized alongside the illegal cigarettes and loose cans found on sale, which was in breach of the shop’s licensing conditions. Throughout further test purchases, when asked for counterfeit cigarettes, staff members were said to retreat to the back of the shop and return momentarily with the stock.
Owner's response
Mr Hearty said at no point did staff consult the cigarette caddy behind the counter where legitimate products would expect to be kept. He added how on one test purchase a pouch of tobacco was also sold for £5 when a recommended retail price would usually be £45.
It was heard how Mr Rahimi was also involved in a business in Greater Manchester in 2023 where hundreds of illegal cigarettes were seized alongside illicit vapes. Mr Hearty said the sale of illicit products were an “every day occurrence”.
Asked by councillors how this was allowed to occur, speaking with assistance from a friend who translated on his behalf, Mr Rahimi said he had not bought the illegal cigarettes and denied knowledge of a baby monitor on the premises. He then admitted the sale of contraband but claimed he did not know they were illegal.
The shop owner also denied any of his staff using the back of the store to access illicit goods. Cllr Malcolm Kelly described these explanations as “a load of rubbish”.
Mr Rahimi said: “I’m so sorry if I made a mistake, I promise I will never, ever do it again.” Mr Hearty added: “This was going on for months.
“He either didn’t know what was going on in his shop or had no control of his staff.” Revoking the licence, Cllr Banks said: “I am disgusted that members in this city, vulnerable people are forced to buy this stuff because they can’t afford the other stuff.
“We don’t know what’s in those cigarettes or those tablets. I’m absolutely appalled.
“I think you should go away and think about what you’ve done.”
