Rogue convenience shops caught breaking the law could soon be shut down for up to a year under a planned change to enforcement powers, according to the BBC. The current six month limit on closures is set to be doubled, giving councils and police a tougher tool to deal with premises linked to illicit trade.
The shift follows a long-running BBC investigation into so-called ghost stores and illegal mini-marts that have spread across British high streets. Reporters found shops selling counterfeit tobacco, illegal vapes and unregulated alcohol, often operating as fronts for wider criminal activity.
Under existing rules in England and Wales, premises caught flouting trading laws can only be closed for up to six months at a time. Trade bodies and local authorities have warned this short window leaves the door open for operators to reopen quickly under a new name with little real consequence.
The longer closure period is expected to make it harder for organised gangs to rotate through the same buildings. Investigators have linked some of these premises to money laundering, modern slavery and the sale of unregulated products to children, the BBC reports.
Council leaders said they had pushed for more time to gather evidence and disrupt repeat offenders. Many trading standards teams have lost staff over the past decade, leaving thin coverage in parts of the country where dodgy shops have multiplied fastest.
Campaigners welcomed the planned change but said councils still need extra funding to take cases through the courts. They argue that a tougher closure power only works if enforcement bodies have the resources to check who reopens the premises afterwards.
Shoppers have been urged to report any premises they suspect of selling illegal vapes or untaxed tobacco to their local trading standards team. The BBC notes that the new rules will need parliamentary approval before they take effect.