Cannabis hidden in sweet bags ‘sold’ from shop in Bristol

Cannabis was found being ‘sold in sweet bags’ at an off licence in Kingswood by police, who want the shop’s premises lience revoked. Officers found more than a kilogram of cannabis during a raid in March and are now asking South Gloucestershire Council to take action.

Fosters, on 168 New Cheltenham Road, could soon be barred from selling alcohol, if its licence is revoked. The shop is also known as Malt Off Licence, and the designated premises supervisor is Michael Hutton.

Councillors at South Gloucestershire Council will review the premises licence during a licensing hearing on Thursday, June 8. Avon and Somerset Police is urging councillors to revoke the shop’s licence, and said they also found phones, scales and cash.

A report published ahead of the licensing review said: “On March 30, 2023, police officers attended the premises at New Cheltenham Road following information received from several different sources that cannabis was being sold from the shop. In the shop stock room, they located suspected cannabis in plastic carrier bags.

“Two plastic boxes were also located, one contained numerous small self-sealing plastic bags which contained suspected cannabis, the other contained numerous small paper sweet bags that also contained suspected cannabis. An unknown amount of cash was also located that was not in the shop till.

“Officers then searched a flat above the shop and located a further considerable amount of suspected cannabis, along with plastic and paper bags consistent with those that had been found in the stock room in the shop. They also located an unknown amount of cash along with several mobile phones, financial documents and weighing scales.”

The report also stated that a total of 1.4 kilograms of cannabis was seized, some of which was split up into individual bags of 1 gram, 3.5 grams, and 7 grams. According to Avon and Somerset Police, nobody has been arrested or charged at this time following a warrant, but one person has attended a voluntary police interview in connection with those enquiries.

An email also published ahead of the review added: “There is a proven issue with drugs in Kingswood, particularly after the recent discovery of a large cannabis factory in one of the Moravian Road warehouses. The premises at New Cheltenham Road has long been rumoured to be selling drugs, but solid intelligence and evidence has been lacking until now.”