Police have objected to a corner shop's application to vary its premises licence after "significant concerns" about the store supervisor.
The Drinks Seller, in Chippenham Road, Harold Hill, has applied to transfer its premises licence and to change its designated premises supervisor (DPS) following a council review of the licence.
Havering Council's licensing team informed the shop of its decision to review the licence on February 26 - due to concerns of "bad practice at the venue" - with the transfer and DPS applications then received later that day.
A week later, the Metropolitan Police lodged an objection to the applications after its enquiries identified "significant concerns regarding the legitimacy of the proposed DPS arrangement".
In the police representation, PC Chris Stockman from the east area licensing team said that the contact details provided within the application do not relate to the proposed female supervisor.
Instead, they correspond to a man called Gurmeet Singh Hakimzada, who had his previous premises licence revoked after quantities of illegal tobacco were seized at a store in Ealing in 2018.
The decision was appealed and the licence then suspended for six weeks as a result - however the sale of alcohol continued during this suspension, leading to a full revocation in March 2019.
Police also raised concerns that the proposed female DPS lives in Southall, roughly 60 miles away from the Harold Hill shop, and therefore may not intend to have "genuine day-to-day control" over the venue.
PC Stockman said: "Taking all the information into consideration police believe this application represents a DPS transfer by proxy.
"In other words, that the proposed DPS is being put forward in name only, while another individual exercises influence or control behind the scenes.
"The purpose of specifying someone as a DPS is to ensure accountability.
"It also cannot be right that an individual whose premises licence was revoked is able to continue operating through another person.
"This arrangement raises a real risk to the prevention of crime and disorder objective and also raises concerns about transparency, compliance, and the integrity of the licensing regime."
The applications will be decided at a council licensing sub-committee on April 7 at 10.30am, while the review hearing will be held separately at 1pm.
PC Stockman asked that sub-committee ensure that Mr Hakimzada has "no involvement whatsoever in the management" of The Drinks Seller, or that the applications are refused.
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