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Directing the Department of Safety and Inspections to proceed with adverse action and the imposition of a $1000 matrix penalty against D & L Tobacco LLC d/b/a D & L Tobacco (License ID #20210002137) for the premises located at 626 Larpenteur Avenue West STE A.
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WHEREAS, the Tobacco Products Shop license (“License”) held by D & L Tobacco LLC d/b/a D & L Tobacco under (License ID #20210002137) for the premises located at 626 Larpenteur Avenue West STE A., in Saint Paul (“Licensed Premises”), which is owned by Raees Chohan and Raymond Smith (“Licensees”) was the subject of adverse action pursuant to an July 22, 2025, Notice of Violation and Request for Imposition of $1000 Matrix Penalty (“Notice”) (Exhibit # 1) in which the Department of Safety and Inspections (“Department”) provided notice to the Licensee of its intent to request imposition of a $1000 matrix penalty because the Licensee failed a second Tobacco Underage Buyers compliance Check within a 24 month period on May 9, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Notice detailed that on May 9, 2025, at 1:02 p.m. DSI Inspector, Luis Sanchez-Panadero conducted a Tobacco Underage Buyers Compliance Check at the Licensed Premises. As part of the Tobacco Underage Buyers Compliance Check, an eighteen-year-old male, retained by DSI to perform underage compliance checks, entered the Licensed Premises to purchase cigarettes. He was not asked to show his identification nor was he asked of his age. Nevertheless, the clerk sold him a Geek Bar Pulse Vape; and
WHEREAS, On May 15, 2025, a letter was sent to D & L Tobacco, Raees Chohan, and to Amna Kiran, from DSI Inspector, Joseph Voyda. The letter informed the Licensee that DSI had recently conducted a State mandated annual inspection and the person under the age of 21, hired by DSI to conduct the check was successfully able to purchase cigarettes; and
WHEREAS, on May 15, 2025, Licensee, Mr. Raymond Smith visited DSI’s office claiming there was a mistake, and that the vio...
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