AN off licence in East Lancashire has seen its premises licence revoked after a string of run-ins with trading standards, the police and immigration officials.

Licensing bosses in Pendle had ordered a review of Jean and Peter’s Offy, in Regent Street, Nelson, after repeated concerns were raised over everything from counterfeit cigarettes to the emergence of an illegal worker.

Immigration officials visited in May, and found a staff member working there had overstayed his visa and that also a chair leg was kept behind the counter as a weapon.

Current licence holder Arfan Zafar, the council’s licensing committee heard, was a director of AIZ Stores, which ran the off licence, when Lancashire Trading Standards issued them with a caution in 2010 over two tobacco pouches with incorrect health labelling.

Trading standards also launched a successful prosecution over similar illicit cigarettes and tobacco in September 2014.

Another of their inspections, last July, still found cigarette packets with incorrect health warnings in a car belonging to Imran Zafar, the brother of Arfan.

Thousands of cellophane wrappers, unused branded tobacco packaging and security seals were also found in a room above the shop, leading to suspicions of smuggling activities.