Half of vape and convenience shops tied to organised crime in UK, report warns
Half of vape and convenience shops tied to organised crime in UK, report warns
Trading Standards warns that cash-heavy shops may be fronts for crime across the UK, with hotspots like Birmingham; enforcement faces budget strains.
A new Trading Standards report warns that organised crime groups may be using as many as half of vape retailers and portions of convenience stores as fronts in parts of the UK. The Hidden In Plain Sight study also notes that up to a third of American candy stores and a quarter of fast food takeaways in certain areas could be linked to illicit activity. Notably, 97% of officers say they are aware of suspected criminal operations in their local high streets, and there is a near-universal agreement that cash-intensive businesses have surged since 2020.
The report includes a map of dodgy shops and lists 10 towns and cities as hotspots, with Birmingham, Liverpool, and London leading the way. Local Authority Trading Standards services say budget cuts of up to 50% over the past decade have squeezed staffing, hampering enforcement just as criminal networks grow more complex.
The shops linked with crime have broad impacts: they threaten public safety, undermine legitimate businesses, and expose shoppers — including children — to risk through issues like anti-social behaviour, theft, drug supply, and even violent crime. The findings underscore the strain on policing and regulator budgets, and call for renewed resources and coordination to curb the spread of suspicious outlets.
