A Bradford off-licence has lost its alcohol licence after police told councillors a concealed pipe and pulley system was used to move nitrous oxide canisters from a neighbouring storeroom to the shop counter.
Bradford Council’s Licensing Panel revoked the licence for Jimmy’s on Great Horton Road on Tuesday after hearing evidence of alleged illicit sales, violent disorder and repeated enforcement action.
West Yorkshire Police requested the review. No representative of the business attended the hearing.
The panel heard that police secured a three-month closure in August covering Jimmy’s, the neighbouring Great Horton Road Shop and a storage unit.
PC Kevin Lord told councillors that officers attending 97 Great Horton Road on 5 June saw people unloading boxes into a side storeroom. They discovered a concealed drainpipe connecting the room to the area behind the counter in the neighbouring shop.
“There was a rope with a pulley system,” he said. “It allowed goods to be covertly supplied to customers.”
Officers seized 57 boxes of nitrous oxide, 550 packets of illicit tobacco, and other alcohol and cigarettes. Cash was found hidden in ceiling tiles, the panel heard.
Police also seized products described at the hearing as medical products not licensed for sale in the UK. Those arrested during the operation were released on bail.
PC Lord said CCTV showed substantial quantities of nitrous oxide being moved through the concealed pipe several times a day.
“This is a highly organised pre-planned operation,” he told the panel.
The hearing was told that Ali Ahmadi Mustafa had held the premises licence since March. The business was operated by Jimmy Off Licence 3 Ltd, whose sole director was Omer Morad.
PC Lord said Mr Morad’s personal licence had previously been revoked by Leeds Council following a conviction.
“It is clear he remains in control of the day-to-day running of the business,” he said.
Police outlined a series of further incidents linked to the premises, including a joint raid with HMRC on 25 June in which non-duty-paid alcohol was seized.
Three days later, officers received reports of around 15 people fighting outside the premises, with men seen jumping over vehicles.
On 8 July, police visited the site and saw a man running away. Four boxes of nitrous oxide were found in a bin storage area behind the shop.
The panel also heard about an alleged assault on a customer who told police he had bought a product and was sitting outside when someone from the shop attacked him without provocation.
PC Lord said the man was dragged to the side of the building, suffered a broken finger and lost consciousness during the attack. A suspect was arrested and released on bail.
When officers requested CCTV footage from the relevant period, it had been deleted, the panel heard.
Police described another incident of violent disorder on 21 July, when several men with weapons were reportedly seen outside the premises at around 1.30am.
Officers arriving at the scene found broken bottles, chairs and broom handles in the street. CCTV footage covering that incident had also been deleted, PC Lord said.
“Despite repeated enforcement action there is ongoing criminal activity linked to this shop, and linked to organised crime,” he told councillors.
“The store has continued to flout the law until it was closed.”
Urging the panel to revoke the licence, PC Lord argued that further licence conditions would not resolve the problems, citing repeated changes in management and designated premises supervisors.
Following a short deliberation, councillors voted to revoke the alcohol licence.
After the hearing, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that a criminal investigation into possession with intent to supply Class C drugs remained ongoing. Two men who had been arrested were released under investigation.
