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Organised crime gangs using UK vape and candy shops as fronts, warns report
The report says up to half of some convenience stores and vape shops are linked to organised crime, and 97% of officers have seen suspected groups.
- The Chartered Trading Standards Institute published a map identifying UK high street hotspots for organised crime, with Birmingham, Liverpool, and London topping the list of 10 towns perceived as epicentres for criminal gangs.
- Organised crime on high streets has steadily increased over the past decade, coinciding with Local Authority Trading Standards budget cuts of up to 50% that stripped staffing to minimum levels.
- Nearly three-quarters of Trading Standards professionals report experiencing intimidation or threats of violence, with officer Mandy facing escalating threats from a Kurdish crime gang that forced her to sell her home after 10 years.
- The government established a task force to strengthen high street enforcement, supported by £10m annually for three years, and has visited over 3,000 suspected premises, arresting nearly 1,000 individuals since March 2025.
- CTSI chief executive John Herriman called for £100m in investment to provide "boots on the ground" and implement a 10-point plan to "reclaim the UK's high streets" and prevent serious organised crime from gaining a foothold.
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16 Articles
16 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Center
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
46% Center
L 31%
C 46%
R 23%
Factuality
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