Gang-run vape stores face new crackdown
A new National Crime Agency unit backed by £20m will target gangs using high street businesses for organized crime.Summary
A new specialist law enforcement unit, backed by £20m and 75 new police officers, has been established to crack down on gangs running high street vape stores, barbers' shops, and mini-marts as fronts for organized crime. The Home Office estimates that up to half of convenience stores and vape retailers in some areas have links to criminal organizations, alongside similar concerns for American candy stores and fast-food takeaways. The crackdown, overseen by Security Minister Dan Jarvis and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, includes the creation of a High Street Organised Crime Unit and is expected to result in thousands of business raids, hundreds of arrests, and millions in cash seized. This initiative comes as Trading Standards budgets have been cut by up to 50% over the past decade, leaving them struggling to combat the rapid spread of illicit retail outlets. The new funding includes £6m for Trading Standards, £1.5m for Immigration Enforcement, and £1.35m for HMRC.
(Source：Yahoo! News)
