A Lincolnshire shop was caught selling around £2,000 worth of illegal cigarettes and tobacco every day, Trading Standards has revealed.
The store is thought to be one of many selling potentially-dangerous goods in the county, which has caused enforcement teams to change their tactics.
The shop, which hasn’t been named due to an ongoing investigation, had received £600,000 through card payment machines in just 10 months.
Vapes or cigarettes.Picture: iStock/AndreyPopov
The operator admitted it was mostly from the sale of illegal cigarettes and tobacco, and the money was sent on to an unknown person.
Trading Standards believes that much more was paid in cash, and are trying to track the money.
“Intelligence and other financial investigations suggest these sorts of sums are not unusual, and proceeds of £1,000+ a day are commonly quoted,” a report coming to Lincolnshire County Council said.
The report, which will go before the council next week, outlines how the organisation has changed tactics in order to deal with shops which are fronts for crime.
It had previously relied on prosecuting people whose names were on official business records for the shops – however these were often “patsys” for organised crime gangs which didn’t appear on paper.
The report says the impact of prosecutions was “negligible” and didn’t stop the shops selling illegal goods.
Trading Standards says it is now focusing on getting businesses permanently kicked out.
After enough evidence is gathered for a short-term closure order from a court, they write to landlords who are often unaware of criminal activity at the premises.
The report says that the majority choose to evict the tenants.
Landlords who don’t co-operate could be investigated for money laundering if the rent they receive is found to be coming from crime.
Lincoln’s Portland Street was previously considered a hotspot with six shops selling illegal cigarettes in 2020.
Now landlords have been convinced to evict nearly all of them, which Trading Standards say has led to 16 per cent drop in violent crime.
The report will be discussed by the county council’s community safety committee next week (Tuesday, May 5).