A SHOPKEEPER convicted of having thousands of fake and smuggled cigarettes in his newsagents has been stripped of his alcohol licence.

Trading standards officers had found 659 packets of illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco, valued at nearly £2,000, at K&H News & Off Licence in Morley Street, Bradford.

Yesterday, Bradford Council's licensing panel met at City Hall to decide whether to revoke the licence of shopkeeper Reza Nouri.

David Strover, of Trading Standards, who applied for the licence review, said in his opinion the panel had "no other option" than to revoke it.

Mr Strover said: "Mr Nouri has demonstrated that he has not been responsible or professional in his dealings. His activities have considerably undermined the licensing objectives with regard to crime and disorder."

Mr Nouri's crimes came to light after West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers received a tip-off, the meeting heard.

They visited the shop and seized counterfeit and smuggled tobacco products three times, in March, September and October last year. Tobacco was found concealed behind the counter in a gym bag, crisp boxes and in a store room.

He admitted 19 offences at Keighley and Bradford Magistrates' Court, and was fined.

Gill Sherratt, representing Mr Nouri, said: "We are not here to shy away from circumstances that have been presented.

"They have been presented fairly. We accept them wholeheartedly.

"We are here to be open and deal with this head-on."

She said Mr Nouri had learned his lesson and asked the panel to consider suspending rather than revoking the licence, saying if Mr Nouri lost his licence he would be forced to close the shop.

She said: "I'm asking you not to take that step today. I'm asking you to give Mr Nouri a chance."

The meeting was told Mr Nouri, of Little Horton Lane, Bradford, had been in Afghanistan for three months last year, and had not been at the shop when Trading Standards made their visits.

The panel, of Councillors Malcolm Slater (Lab, Keighley East), Mike Pollard (Con, Baildon) and Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley), conferred before announcing they were removing Mr Nouri's licence.

After the hearing, David Lodge, head of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, welcomed the panel's decision.

He said: "The supply of cheap and illicit tobacco undermines tobacco control and is therefore a major threat to public health.

"West Yorkshire Trading Standards service will not hesitate to take action against anyone engaged in the supply of illicit cigarettes.

"This licence review demonstrates that there are serious consequences for licensed premises who supply counterfeit and unlabelled tobacco and will ultimately lead to prosecution and as in this case, revocation of the liquor licence."