More than nine in ten “dodgy shops” found to be selling illicit tobacco or vapes remain open after enforcement action, according to a new report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). Freedom of Information data obtained by the research group found that more than 4,000 shops had illicit tobacco, cigarettes, or vaping products seized in 2025, almost 1,000 more than in 2024. Of these, only 8% of offending premises were temporarily closed in 2025, leaving more than nine in 10 open for business.
The report, titled Hijacked High Streets, warns that Britain’s high streets are becoming “consequence-free zones”, where organised crime, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour are rife. The research found that more than two in five Britons (41%) said they had personally witnessed or experienced anti-social behaviour in 2025/26, up from 36% the previous year. During the inquiry, CSJ representatives saw shops restocking illicit goods, while suspects evaded further legal action through ghost directors and ‘phoenixing’.
This cycle of seizure and immediate re-opening creates a frustrating reality for local enforcement teams. When officers seize a stash of contraband only to find the retailer back on the shelves the following day, the deterrent effect evaporates. The stolen profits often fund broader criminal operations, making the failure to secure a permanent closure a missed opportunity for community safety.
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Four drivers behind criminal high street businesses
The CSJ’s inquiry identified four key drivers behind the growth of criminal high street businesses: growing demand for illicit tobacco, cigarettes, and vaping products; mass immigration and the exploitation of illegal working by organised crime groups (OCGs); long-term economic decline leaving high streets hollowed out; and a lack of resources and powers for enforcement agencies.
The organisation is calling for the Government to establish a “British FBI”, bringing together powers currently fragmented across more than 100 departments and agencies to achieve equivalent results at a national level. Under the proposals, plans for a new National Police Service would be accompanied by the restructuring of Trading Standards into a national enforcement agency with stronger statutory powers.
Specifically, the report calls for on-the-spot closure orders for up to 12 months with simpler evidence thresholds for both temporary and permanent closures. This would allow authorities to act faster, cutting through legal delays that currently allow offenders to continue trading while appeals are processed.
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Parliamentary backing for action
In the report’s foreword, Melanie Onn MP, Labour MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, who has led a parliamentary campaign against criminal high street businesses, said: “There is no route to high street renewal without restoring security to our communities. Over the last year, I have spearheaded a parliamentary campaign to shut down these criminal enterprises and revitalise Britain’s high streets. This campaign has gained the backing of over 70 MPs. This government is determined to bring back hope to our communities. This report provides a path forward. Now is the time to act.”
Commenting on the findings, Joshua Nicholson, head of housing and communities at the Centre for Social Justice, said: “Seizing illegal cigarettes and vapes while leaving the shop open to trade again the next day is not only futile, it is fuelling a terrifying criminal underworld. Hard-working Trading Standards officers are being asked to take on organised crime groups with one hand tied behind their backs. Government needs to back them with the powers they need to get criminal businesses out of our communities. The Home Secretary has taken important steps forward but now is the time to take back Britain’s high streets for good.”
