Crouch End shop licence revoked for selling illegal pills

Haringey Council’s licensing subcommittee found that “unlawful activity” had taken place at Maxxi Food and Wine in Topsfield Parade, Crouch End, and had continued despite an intervention by trading standards officers.

In a decision notice published last Tuesday (May 30) the committee found the shop was stocking for sale non-compliant e-cigarettes and erectile dysfunction medication without a medical registration.

Laughing gas was also being sold and customers were said to have consumed the substance outside the premises, the subcommittee found.

One person here is pictured with a balloon in his hand and a cannister next to him while sat on the hood of a car near the shop (Image: UGC)

The licence holder was given 21 days last week to appeal the decision.

Nitrous oxide cartridges and erectile dysfunction pills were found at the shop in two visits by trading standards officers in January.

Photographs showed tablets discretely on display on a shelf as well as a stock of tablets behind the counter.

Then-licence holder Aylin Yengin claimed the medicines were already being sold when she took over the premises, and that she removed them after being told they were banned. She also claimed she did not allow nitrous oxide to be sold.

But during a second visit, non-compliant e-cigarettes were also displayed as well as the recreational drug ‘poppers’.

The committee accepted evidence that the erectile dysfunction pills were intended to be “sold at the premises at affordable prices without controls”.

Aylin also confirmed she was previously the owner of Maxi Stores in Southgate, which had its licence suspended by Enfield Council on January 4 after similar items were being sold.

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The committee said Aylin was aware that the e-cigarettes offered were not lawful and that the erectile dysfunction pills were “illegal to sell over the counter” before the visit to the Crouch End shop.

It also noted that “it had not been disputed that erectile dysfunction tablets were being offered for sale prior to the visit”.

Images seen by the Ham&High showed that some products have been promoted through a TikTok page, although most of the videos have since been removed.

A screengrab of a TikTok profile for the shop, which advertised nitrous oxide (Image: Screengrab)

In one video showcasing a nitrous oxide cannister, a user commented “I’ll take 20”.

After hearing evidence, the committee found that the sale of nitrous oxide from the shop had caused a “significant increase in antisocial behaviour outside the premises especially at unsociable hours”.

On April 26, applications were made to transfer the premises licence to a new holder, but the committee found the unlawful activity had continued.

Councillors considered other options, including suspending the licence for three months, but decided revocation was “the only appropriate and proportionate” response.

Cllr Adam Jogee, cabinet member for community safety and cohesion, said: “Selling illegal and controlled products is something we simply cannot tolerate from our licensed premises in the borough, so I’m pleased to see that the licensing subcommittee has taken firm action in this case.

“My colleagues and I hope this serves as a reminder to licence holders across the community of how seriously we take offences like this.
“Our licensing objectives are there to prevent crime and protect people from harm, so I encourage all residents to share any concerns they have about businesses stocking non-compliant products or selling controlled products without the correct authorisation.”

Agents representing the licence holder have been approached for comment.