Fed backs government crackdown to support high street

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) has welcomed the Government’s establishment of a New High Street Organised Crime Unit and £30m funding across law enforcement to tackle organised crime on the High Street. These steps followed repeated Fed lobbying for more resourcing for trading standards and better coordination across government agencies to tackle illicit trade, which undermines legitimate retail businesses including Fed members.

In a statement 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.”

Fed National President, Hetal Patel, said: “Our members are responsible retailers and contribute an incalculable amount to local economies and the communities they serve- however, their good name and business model is undermined by rogue trade in illicit goods like black market tobacco and more – it is dismaying that the National Crime Agency (NCA) have recently said that £1 billion is laundered each year through high street businesses like mini-marts, barber shops, vape stores and sweet shops.”

“I raised these concerns in a meeting with the Crime and Policing Minister at the Home Office last year and we are therefore very pleased the Government is taking active steps to take this forward. We have been told that £20 million of funding will go towards the creation of a new multi-agency coordination team led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) as well as £6m extra to local authority trading standards – something we have called for – so this is very positive news.

“However, given the vast and growing scale of the problem, we feel even more pressure from Police and Government agencies will need to be focused on the problem in the months and years ahead. We will therefore continue to monitor this situation and work with Government to ensure there is greater focus and resourcing.”