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crime12h ago
Half of convenience stores in some areas 'linked to organised crime'
- Latest findings show up to half of convenience stores and vape shops in some areas are linked to organised crime, per Trading Standards.
- The report identifies two ‘corridors of crime’ along UK coasts and tourist towns as hotspots for dodgy shops.
- Officers report increased numbers of cash-intensive businesses on local high streets since 2020.
- Local authority trading standards budgets have fallen up to 50% over the past decade, hindering enforcement.
- The report calls for a renewed ten-point plan to reclaim the UK’s high streets, including licensing reviews for illicit goods.
- Industry groups welcomed the report, stressing that legitimate retailers should not be conflated with criminals.
- Trading Standards warned that dodgy shops threaten public safety and the viability of nearby legitimate businesses.
- One officer described threats and violence linked to dodgy shops encountered in frontline work.
- Local authorities emphasize inter-agency collaboration and sustained enforcement funding as critical.
- The report links illicit marketplaces to various crimes, including anti-social behaviour and drug distribution.
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