Ealing Council has allowed Sethi Food and Wine, an off-licence in Southall, to retain its premises licence despite the discovery of thousands of illicit cigarettes and hidden tobacco during a police raid. The decision was made at a licensing hearing on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, following a review prompted by the March 10, 2026 raid.
Raid uncovers hidden illicit goods
On March 10, 2026, council officers and the Metropolitan Police raided Sethi Food and Wine at 41 Featherstone Road, Southall. Sniffer dogs were used to search the premises and indicated hidden items in the rear stock room. Officers subsequently found 3,420 illicit cigarettes and 1.13kg of Indian tobacco concealed inside a cardboard box and a black bag. The unpaid tax on these products was estimated at £1,400.
When questioned over the phone, the shop owner, Mr Ganesh Kuma, stated, "I thought I could sell them," but provided no answer when asked why the items were hidden. During the licensing hearing, Mr Kuma claimed the items were hidden because they were not for sale, adding that he bought them from a salesman who came into the store under the impression he could sell them.
Licensing violations and recommendations
During the same visit, officers photographed cases of beer stored directly on the shop floor, a direct violation of the premises licence, which requires alcohol to be stored on suitable shelving or racking. The primary ground for the licence review was the failure to promote the 'prevention of crime and disorder' licensing objective, as the trade of illegal goods undermines legitimate businesses and funds organised crime.
The Licensing Compliance and Enforcement Officer formally recommended revoking the licence, stating that the owner's lack of knowledge and disregard for the law gave them "no confidence" that the licensing objectives were being promoted.
Committee decision and new conditions
However, the Licensing Sub-Committee, comprising Liberal Democrat Cllr Jon Ball and Labour Cllrs Shaira Karimi and Anthony Kelly, decided to allow the premises to keep its licence. It was noted that this was the first time the off-licence had faced such issues. Cllr Kelly described the violation as serious but added: "However, the panel are satisfied that the premises has no past experience of previous non-compliance and note the premises licence holder has understood concerns raised by the licensing review for the illicit products."
The panel imposed several new conditions on the licence, including weekly compliance checks, invoice retentions, stock records, and the use of only legitimate suppliers.
