{"id":553,"date":"2026-05-02T08:17:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T08:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/half-of-convenience-and-vape-shops-are-fronts-for-organised-crime-bombshell-report-claims\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T08:17:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T08:17:43","slug":"half-of-convenience-and-vape-shops-are-fronts-for-organised-crime-bombshell-report-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/half-of-convenience-and-vape-shops-are-fronts-for-organised-crime-bombshell-report-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"Half of convenience and vape shops are &#8216;fronts for organised crime&#8217;, bombshell report claims"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_5f510e\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">A bombshell new report found that half of all convenience stores and vape retailers in parts of the UK have links to organised crime &#8211; with three cities identified as hotspots for &#8216;dodgy shops&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37091177\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A new report has revealed significant links between American Candy shops and organised crime (file photo)\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Candy-Store-Outlets-Continue-To-Blight-Londons-West-End.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"A new report has revealed significant links between American Candy shops and organised crime (file photo)\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">A new report has revealed significant links between American Candy shops and organised crime (file photo)<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Half of all convenience stores and<!-- --><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" vapeLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/vaping\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\"> vape<\/a> shops in some areas of Britain have links with organised<!-- --><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" crimeLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/crime\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\"> crime<\/a>, according to a bombshell new report.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A survey by Trading Standards found that 97% of its officers are aware of suspected organised crime groups (OCGs) operating out of retail premises on their local high streets &#8211; with three areas seeing a huge concentration of dodgy businesses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Up to a third of &#8216;American candy&#8217; shops and one in four fast food takeaways in some of the worst-hit regions are suspected of being a front for criminal activity, the organisation\u2019s Hidden In Plain Sight report said.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37091278\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37091278\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A map from Trading Standards shows the areas with the most 'dodgy shops'\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_Image.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"A map from Trading Standards shows the areas with the most 'dodgy shops'\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">A map from Trading Standards shows the areas with the most &#8216;dodgy shops&#8217;<cite aria-label=\"Image: Trading Standards\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Trading Standards)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_0548ba\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37090434\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/new-banksy-london-waterloo-place-37090434\" tabindex=\"0\">&#8216;New Banksy&#8217; spotted in Waterloo Place as suited man sculpture draws crowds<\/a><\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_0548ba\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\"><a target=\"_blank\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37085870\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/world-news\/british-woman-murdered-france-blood-37085870\" tabindex=\"0\">Family of British woman murdered in France and found in pool of blood claim they have &#8216;hunch&#8217; who killed her<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">There was also \u201calmost universal recognition\u201d \u2013 involving 99% of officers \u2013 that Trading Standards had seen an increase in the number of cash-intensive businesses opening on their local high streets since 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Almost three quarters of Trading Standards professionals (72%) reported experiencing intimidatory behaviour or had been threatened with violence in the course of their duties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Trading Standards has published a map of high streets across the UK for so-called dodgy shops, along with the 10 towns and cities perceived by its officers to be hot spots for OCGs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Birmingham, Liverpool and London fill the top three spots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Bradford, <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/manchester\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Manchester<\/a>, Leeds, Coventry, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Brighton make up the rest of the top 10.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It said the budgets of Local Authority Trading Standards (LATS) services had been cut by up to 50% over the last decade, with staffing stripped to minimum levels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Trading Standards warned that this \u2013 coupled with resource \u201cchallenges\u201d for other key enforcement agencies including police \u2013 had coincided with the rapid spread of the shops across the UK, as well as complex criminal networks that underpinned them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Dodgy shops had a \u201cprofound impact\u201d on the safety of the public and the viability of the legitimate businesses around them, while putting the health of consumers, including children, at risk.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37091180\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37091180\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.33\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Raids at the 'dodgy shops' have found potential cancer-causing chemicals in products sold\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_SDC_MDG_-_4020JPG.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Raids at the 'dodgy shops' have found potential cancer-causing chemicals in products sold\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Raids at the &#8216;dodgy shops&#8217; have found potential cancer-causing chemicals in products sold<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">These shops often brought with them associated criminality including anti-social behaviour, theft and violent crime, drug supply, modern slavery, and child sexual exploitation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">One trading standards team in Dudley recently told of an \u201depidemic\u201d of serious crime linked to vape shops, including devices and illegal goods being handed to children \u201cin return for sexual favours\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The new report outlined a 10-point plan to \u201creclaim the UK\u2019s high streets\u201d, including investing in Trading Standards, making the sale of illegal goods a trigger for licence review, and an additional \u00a320 million to bolster Trading Standards resources for ports and borders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">John Herriman, chief executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), said: \u201cIt is clear from this research that serious and organised crime is endemic across the UK, and the threat posed by illegitimate high street businesses is having a significant impact on the work of Trading Standards, and our ability to protect consumers and maintain the level playing field for legitimate business.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cLocal Authority Trading Standards services have faced damaging funding cuts of up to 50% over the past decade, with key enforcement partners experiencing similar resourcing challenges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWe recognise that the Government is focussed on this issue, but it must urgently bring together and properly invest in enforcement agencies \u2013 including Local Authority Trading Standards \u2013 to give us the powers and resources needed to tackle what is a widespread and growing national problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37091188\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37091188\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Half of all convenience stores and vape shops in some areas of Britain have links with organised crime, the report found\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1_Trading-Standards-report.jpg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Half of all convenience stores and vape shops in some areas of Britain have links with organised crime, the report found\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Half of all convenience stores and vape shops in some areas of Britain have links with organised crime, the report found<cite aria-label=\"Image: Jacob King\/PA Wire\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Jacob King\/PA Wire)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Association of Convenience Stores chief executive, Ed Woodall, said: \u201cResponsible convenience retailers are extremely frustrated with rogue traders operating with impunity in their local area.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201c85% of retailers asked in our 2026 Crime Survey said that illicit trading has increased in their local area \u2013 this cannot be allowed to continue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWe have consistently called for Trading Standards to be given the resources they need to tackle the dangerous and growing illicit market blighting communities across the UK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cTens of millions of pounds need to be invested in local enforcement capacity to shut down these rogue traders and support the responsible retailers that are suffering as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/half-convenience-vape-shops-fronts-37090827\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A bombshell new report found that half of all convenience stores and vape retailers in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1777709863_0_Candy-Store-Outlets-Continue-To-Blight-Londons-West-End.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/553\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}