Key facts
- Illegal mini-marts, barbers, and vape shops could face closures of up to 12 months.
- The proposed law change doubles the current maximum closure period.
- The government's decision was influenced by BBC News' investigative reporting.
- The extended closures aim to provide more time for investigations and prosecutions.
- Trading Standards officers have expressed strong support for the new measures.
The UK government is set to introduce legislation that will allow authorities to shut down illegal mini-marts, barbers, and vape shops for up to a year, a significant increase from the current six-month maximum. This move follows extensive investigative reporting by BBC News, which exposed widespread organized crime, including drug dealing, money laundering, and exploitation, operating within these businesses.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that the government would not tolerate such criminality, which erodes public faith in local areas and democracy. She commended the BBC's reporting for highlighting the scale of the problem. The extended closure orders are intended to give law enforcement and Trading Standards officers more time to build cases, pursue prosecutions, and identify the true owners of these illicit operations, thereby preventing them from quickly reopening.
Trading Standards officers have widely welcomed the proposed changes, noting that the current closure periods are often insufficient to deter unscrupulous business owners. They believe the longer closures will make it less financially viable to simply wait out a ban and will encourage landlords to be more diligent in vetting tenants. Investigations by BBC News have uncovered illegal cigarettes sold at a fraction of the genuine price, as well as open drug dealing and exploitation of minors in some high street establishments.
Previous BBC investigations have revealed a range of criminal activities linked to these shops, including money laundering, illegal working, and the sale of drugs and counterfeit goods. The government has also announced a new £30 million fund to support a High Street organised crime unit. The new closure powers are expected to be enacted through secondary legislation by the end of the year, with implementation anticipated in early 2027.