A newsagent had its licence revoked after it was caught selling smuggled goods and facilitating street drinking.

Harrow Council’s licensing panel agreed to revoke the alcohol licence at Transilvanya, in North Parade, Mollison Way, Edgware.

It came following interventions from the Metropolitan Police and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

An application for revocation from the Met noted that the premises had failed to uphold its licensing objectives, as well as evidence of the sale of smuggled goods.

According to a police report, the shop had regularly bought alcohol from a van with no evidence of duty being paid.

There were also concerns about the shop’s CCTV system and its contribution to anti-social behaviour in the area by selling alcohol to street drinkers.

According to the council, the designated premises supervisor, Andreea Dutta-Spatariu, acknowledged the “inadequate level of oversight and management of the premises as well as the ensuing impact on the local community”.

Ms Dutta-Spatariu added that the shop had struggled to meet demands, including the increased premises rent.

She offered to voluntarily surrender the licence, which could have seen it reinstated by the council.

But the licensing panel opted to revoke it, describing it as “an appropriate and proportionate step to take in order to promote all the licensing objectives”.