An Auckland bottle shop’s history of selling alcohol to minors during controlled purchase operations has come under scrutiny at a district licensing hearing.
By Torika Tokalau, Local Democracy Reporting
Black Bull Liquor Everglade in Goodwood Heights is applying for the renewal of its off-licence at its South Auckland store.
The bottle shop, owned by NK Sahay Limited, has failed three controlled purchase operations in the past 11 years – in 2013, 2015 and most recently in 2024.
Controlled purchase operations are run by Auckland Council's Alcohol Licensing Unit, police and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service to test whether alcohol retailers are complying with laws prohibiting sales to minors.
The off-licence renewal application received no objections from three reporting agencies, including police, but did receive several objections from the public who were concerned about the failed purchase operations.
Speaking on behalf of the objectors at a hearing on Wednesday, Dr Grant Hewison said a premises with multiple failed purchase operations was concerning.
Hewison said if the renewal was granted, the District Licensing Committee needed to consider the shop’s history of sales to minors and impose strict conditions, including around entry to customers who have children with them.
"We ask you to look at the premises being restricted, so it does restrict minors from entering at all."
NK Sahay Limited director Nilesh Kumar Sahay told the District Licensing Committee he was terrified of failing another purchase operation.
He said the first controlled purchase operation in 2013 happened while the business was under his father’s ownership, and the most recent purchase operation failed because of the actions of a former staff member.
In a statement to the District Licensing Committee, Sahay said the employee took full responsibility for the breach, explaining he had not been himself because of a car accident he was in earlier that day.
Since then, Sahay said he had taken control of the business, working at the bottle shop full time, seven days a week.
He had installed security doors that remain locked, with customers only allowed into the shop when he presses a button.
Sahay said he’s also installed an age check feature on the store’s point of sale system to prevent another controlled purchase operation failure.
"I have sleepless nights, I can’t fail another controlled purchase operation again ... I’m really worried about this," Sahay said.
He said he understood that another failed purchase operation could cost him his alcohol licence.
He was in the process of hiring another duty manager, and was looking for someone he could trust.
Sahay’s single-unit sales of alcohol also came under scrutiny at the hearing with some products priced at less than $6 per unit. He said he would change that if the renewal was granted.
"I take my compliance obligations seriously. I am always at the store to make sure things are run properly."
The District Licensing Committee is expected to deliver its decision later.
– Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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