A new specialist law enforcement unit is set to target criminal gangs operating from illicit high street businesses across the UK, the government has announced.
The initiative, backed by £20 million, will see a dedicated National Crime Agency (NCA) cell coordinate a national response, with a separate unit overseen by security minister Dan Jarvis tasked with developing solutions.
The Home Office confirmed that 75 new police officers will be recruited nationwide, specifically assigned to tackle high street gangs.
This move comes amid alarming estimates from Trading Standards, suggesting that as many as half of convenience stores and vape retailers in some areas are linked to organised crime.
Furthermore, up to a third of American candy stores and one in four fast-food takeaways in specific locations are suspected of acting as fronts for illegal activities.
The announcement follows a BBC investigation that exposed how people smugglers are directing migrants to pay for illegal Channel crossings through a network of UK-registered businesses, including high street shops. The new unit aims to dismantle these criminal operations embedded within local communities.
The budgets of Local Authority Trading Standards’ services have been cut by up to 50% over the last decade, and staffing stripped.
Trading Standards has warned that this, coupled with reduced resources for other key enforcement agencies including police, had coincided with the rapid spread of dodgy shops across the UK.
Trading standards will be backed with £6 million of additional funding under the Home Office plans, with new officer training rolled out to identify suspicious businesses.
£1.5 million will also go to Immigration Enforcement, and £1.35m to HMRC.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said: “Criminal gangs have exploited our high streets to launder their dirty money and undercut honest businesses.
“We are hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash and drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars.”
The Home Office said thousands of businesses are expected to be raided, hundreds of arrests made and millions in cash seized as a result of the funding.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour have done more damage to our high streets than 75 officers can fix. Under Labour, there are 1,300 fewer police officers, a huge spike in business rates, anti-business legislation, jobs tax, the list goes on.
“Crime and anti-social behaviour are at unacceptably high levels, every day, too many people witness things that anger and alarm them.
“The Conservatives have a plan to take back our streets that would put 10,000 extra police officers on the streets, backed by £800 million, in order to triple stop and search, roll out live facial recognition to the worst crime hotspots, restoring the damage Labour have done in just under two years.”
