A Southall off-licence has been allowed to retain its premises licence following a council review triggered by the discovery of a large quantity of illegal tobacco products.

Enforcement officers from Ealing Council, supported by Metropolitan Police teams and sniffer dogs, raided Sethi Food and Wine on Featherstone Road, Southall, on 10 March 2026. The dogs indicated hidden items in a rear stock room during the inspection and officers then searched the area more thoroughly.

Inside the premises, officers discovered 3,420 illicit cigarettes and 1.13kg of hand-rolling tobacco. The items were found concealed in a cardboard box and a black bag. The unpaid duty linked to the goods was estimated at around £1,400.

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The shop owner said he believed the products had been supplied by a visiting salesman and thought they were legal to sell. He later stated the goods were not intended for sale and had been stored separately. However, officers reported no clear explanation at the time regarding why the items had been hidden.

The matter was later examined at a licensing hearing on 24 June 2026. During the proceedings, the owner repeated that the stock was not meant for sale. He maintained that he had not knowingly breached regulations.

During the same visit, officers also found alcohol stored directly on the shop floor rather than on proper shelving. This was identified as a breach of the premises licence conditions. The licence requires alcohol to be stored on appropriate racking or shelving.

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The case was considered under the licensing objective of preventing crime and disorder. Officers argued that the presence of illicit goods raised serious concerns about compliance and oversight. A recommendation was made to revoke the premises licence.

Despite this, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided not to revoke the licence. Councillors noted the business had no previous history of non-compliance. They also accepted that the licence holder had acknowledged concerns raised during the review.

Instead of revocation, the panel imposed additional conditions. These included regular compliance checks, retention of invoices, detailed stock records, and requirements to source goods only from legitimate suppliers. The premises was therefore allowed to continue trading under stricter controls.

Photo credit: Ealing Council