Huddersfield shops fight to keep licences

TWO Huddersfield newsagents will battle to keep their licences tomorrow after allegedly stocking untaxed alcohol.

Councillors will decide if Jerath Off Licence on Trinity Street and Dosanjh and Sons on Westgate can carry on selling drink.

Officials claim both shops were caught selling untaxed bottles ofspirits last year.

Claire Horsfield, of HM Revenue and Customs, visited Dosanjh and Sons with two police officers at 11.30am on December 14, 2010.

In a statement to Kirklees Council she said she had found nine bottles of Glens vodka and 11 bottles of High Commissioner whisky which appeared to be untaxed.

Ms Horsfield said: “The duty stamps did not react under ultra-violet light. Closer inspection of the labels on these bottles identified that they had false rear labels and a counterfeit UK duty stamp.”

She added that the shopkeeper told her he had bought the spirits from “a man in a van.”

The alcohol, with a taxable value of £145.53, was seized.