A shop owner in Enfield Town has been fined more than £11,000 after his sales assistant sold a seven-piece knife set to a boy and a girl who were 14 years old.
Enfield Council’s Trading Standards team carried out an underage test purchase operation using police cadets.
The visit took place on 24 May 2025 at the ‘Value 4 Money’ shop in Church Street, Enfield (EN2) during Knife Crime Awareness Week.
Business owner, Mohammad Hafiz Scandari from Luton, first appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on19 February 2026 for the first hearing, where he pleaded guilty on behalf of his company Homix Enterprise Limited.
On 12 March 2026 he attended court again and received a fine of £8,333, costs of £1,350, and a victim surcharge of £2,000. Total: £11,683.
The under-age test purchasing operation was organised in Enfield town centre, to determine whether shops were prepared to sell bladed articles, including knives, to people under the age of 18.
The two police cadet volunteers who took part in the operation were told by Council officers to carry out test purchases, to answer any questions about their age truthfully and to say that they did not have any ID if asked.
The sales assistant at Value 4 Money did not challenge the boy about his age when he paid for the knives.
He later acknowledged making the sale. He also claimed he recognised the female volunteer and believed she was over 18.
Cllr Susan Erbil, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory Services, said: “This serious case serves as a reminder to retailers they must obey the law and ensure age-restricted products are not sold to children.
“The council’s test purchasing exercise was carried out during the annual Knife Crime Awareness Week, to help raise awareness of the devastating impact knife crime has on young lives.
"We will continue to take the strongest possible action against those who break the law to protect our young people for a safer Enfield.”
Test purchases were also attempted at two other premises in Enfield Town as part of the operation, and both refused the sale.