The vape industry has expressed its support for the Home Secretary's newly announced crackdown on organised criminal networks operating on high streets across the country.
Home Secretary's Announcement
Shabana Mahmood declared a 'nationwide crackdown' to close down 'dodgy' shops that are part of organised crime operations. In a statement on X, she said: 'Criminal gangs have exploited our high streets to launder their dirty money and undercut honest businesses. We're hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash, drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars.'
Industry Response
Gillian Golden, CEO of the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA), welcomed the focused action. She stated: 'The IBVTA welcome this focused action on organised crime. Criminals using vapes as a cash commodity have done untold damage to legitimate businesses on our high streets. Most of all, the negative media coverage has skewed the public's understanding of the purpose and benefits of these products.'
Government Plans and Funding
The unit will be run by the National Crime Agency (NCA) over the next three years. Sal Melki, deputy director of illicit finance at the NCA, commented: 'This criminal activity makes our communities less safe and less prosperous. It undermines legitimate business, deprives public services of tax revenues, and fuels a range of predicate offences such as the drugs trade, illicit goods, trafficking, and organised immigration crime.'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the Labour Party is 'absolutely focused' on tackling such criminality.
Key Measures
- Shops will face raids, closures, and cash seizures in a crackdown by police and trading standards over the next three years.
- Some £20 million of funding will go towards the NCA, along with 75 new police officers in three hotspot regions: Greater Manchester, West Midlands, and Essex and Kent forces.
- £6 million of funding will be allocated to trading standards.
The remainder of the funding, £3.75 million, will be split between immigration enforcement, HMRC, and the running of the unit.
