Harehills Lane shop could lose licence after illegal tobacco sales

A review of the premises licence for Mama Mia convenience store has been requested under s51 of the Licensing Act 2003 due to the sale of illegal tobacco witnessed initially by two PCSOs in June 2020.

Police officers carried out an inspection and seized 2,757 packs of cigarettes and 496 packs of tobacco according to the agenda notes of the meeting.

Further visits were undertaken by West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers between November and February where further illegal sales were witnessed and cigarettes and tobacco seized.

A judge warned the directors of the store - Ali Mohamad and Aram Mohammedie - that they may be sent to custody after pleading guilty to a total of 31 offences at Leeds Crown Court.

Mohamad, 64, pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing goods with a false trade mark for sale, one of producing or supplying a tobacco product in breach of packaging regulations and one of producing or supplying a tobacco product with a unit pack or container not carrying a combined health warning.

Mohammedie, 32, of Harehills Lane, Leeds, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of possessing goods with a false trade mark for sale, two of producing or supplying a tobacco product in breach of packaging regulations and two of producing or supplying a tobacco product with a unit pack or container not carrying a combined health warning

Mohammedie pleaded guilty to a further count of selling goods with a sign or packaging bearing a sign likely to be mistaken for a registered trade mark.

They are due to be sentenced in January for the offences.

The council meeting is due to be held on January 22 at the Civic Hall, Leeds.

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