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A Northland store owner could lose his business after being filmed selling isopropyl alcohol to a man posing as a drug manufacturer.
Nick Patel of Blue Lagoon Four Square was caught by a hidden camera selling the substance to an actor who said it would be used for making drugs.
The exposure of the transaction on national television news last month has led to Foodstuffs, which owns the Four Square brand, ditching Mr Patel from the chain.
The giant food company has given Mr Patel less than a month's notice of its intention to strike him off the books.
Foodstuffs says that by stocking and selling large amounts of an ingredient used in drug manufacturing, Mr Patel had sullied Four Square's family-friendly brand.
But Mr Patel claims he is being treated unfairly by a company he depends on for his living.
Severe colour-blindness stops him being able to drive, so without a supply company such as Foodstuffs delivering stock, Mr Patel will be unable to fill his shelves.
"I have to stay with Four Square because they deliver to me. Without that service I can't keep my business.
"I have been loyal to them and I thought in my bad time they would back me. I'm disappointed with Foodstuffs."
However, Mr Patel admitted his business had already been on the market for two months before the isopropanol exposé.
"But now people think I am desperate to sell and they are making ridiculous offers."
Through a lawyer, Mr Patel has asked Foodstuffs to reconsider its one-month termination. He believes six months would help him to avoid a fire-sale situation.
Foodstuffs' board of directors, who are Four Square store owners, discussed the matter at a meeting on May 20, a few days after the televised sting.
"They believe that the actions of the operator of Moerewa Four Square have brought Foodstuffs and the brand into disrepute," managing director Tony Carter said.
"Foodstuffs expects very high standards of all its members and the actions the board has taken in this particular circumstance should indicate these standards are taken seriously and will be enforced."
It is not illegal to sell isopropyl, which is used widely in cleaning and painting products. But Mr Patel had to buy it from an independent supplier as Foodstuffs did not stock it in its warehouse.
Mr Patel said he has received about 170 letters of support from Moerewa residents since the sting collared him and neighbouring dairy owner Mahesh Patel. He has lost some customers, including Moerewa School.
* Isopropyl alcohol is widely used as a solvent and cleaning fluid. But it is also used to make cannabis oil and can be used in the manufacture of P, or methamphetamine.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
