Up to half of convenience stores and vape retailers in certain parts of the UK are suspected of having links to organised crime, according to a new report by Trading Standards. The 'Hidden In Plain Sight' report also estimates that as many as a third of American candy stores and one in four fast food takeaways in specific areas may be fronts for criminal activity.
A survey of Trading Standards officers found that 97% are aware of suspected organised crime groups (OCGs) operating from retail premises on their local high streets. Nearly all officers (99%) reported an increase in cash-intensive businesses opening since 2020, and 72% said they had experienced intimidatory behaviour or threats of violence during their work.
The report includes a map of 'dodgy shops' across the UK, with Birmingham, Liverpool and London identified as the top three hotspots for OCG-linked retail premises. Trading Standards warns that these businesses bring associated criminality, including anti-social behaviour, theft, violent crime, drug supply, modern slavery and child sexual exploitation.
Budgets for Local Authority Trading Standards (LATS) services have been cut by up to 50% over the past decade, with staffing reduced to minimum levels. The report argues that these cuts, combined with resource challenges for police and other enforcement agencies, have enabled the rapid spread of illegitimate shops and the criminal networks behind them.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has published a 10-point plan to 'reclaim the UK’s high streets', calling for increased investment in Trading Standards, making the sale of illegal goods a trigger for licence reviews, and an additional £20 million for ports and borders enforcement. CTSI chief executive John Herriman said: 'Serious and organised crime is endemic across the UK... Local Authority Trading Standards services have faced damaging funding cuts of up to 50% over the past decade.'
Industry groups also voiced support. Ed Woodall, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, noted that 85% of retailers in a recent survey said illicit trading had increased in their area, adding: 'Tens of millions of pounds need to be invested in local enforcement capacity.' Gillian Golden of the Independent British Vape Trade Association endorsed the report's plan, emphasising that criminals see illicit vapes as a commodity alongside tobacco and counterfeit goods.
