Birmingham is officially the worst UK city for ‘dodgy shops’ covering organised crime

A new report has named Birmingham as the worst-affected city in Britain for the spread of so-called “dodgy shops” acting as fronts for organised crime.

The findings, compiled by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), place Birmingham firmly at the top of a national “heat map” of concern. This is a stark illustration, campaigners say, of how unchecked illicit activity is embedding itself in working communities.

Trading standards chiefs warned the scale of the issue now constitutes a “national threat to our economy and society,” pointing to criminal networks operating behind seemingly legitimate shopfronts.

In some areas, as many as half of all convenience stores and vape retailers were estimated to have links with organised crime. Up to a third of American candy stores and one in four fast food takeaways in specific areas were suspected of being a front for criminal activity, the organisation’s Hidden In Plain Sight report said.

via Unsplash

A football analysis-style “heat map” drawn from frontline intelligence provided by trading standards officers recorded 81 separate references to Birmingham last year alone.

The CTSI said the city centre was by far the worst area, although there were also repeated concerns flagged in surrounding communities, including Aston and Edgbaston, as well as nearby Black Country areas such as Smethwick and Cradley Heath.

For those tasked with confronting the problem, the risks are not abstract. Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of trading standards professionals reported experiencing intimidatory behaviour or had been threatened with violence in the course of their duties, a reflection of the dangerous forces operating behind these businesses.

Trading Standards warned budget cuts coupled with resource “challenges” for other key enforcement agencies including police had coincided with the rapid spread of dodgy shops across the UK, as well as complex criminal networks that underpinned them.

Dodgy shops had a “profound impact” on the safety of the public and the viability of the legitimate businesses around them, while putting the health of consumers, including children, at risk.

These shops often brought with them associated crime including anti-social behaviour, theft and violent crime, drug supply, modern slavery, and child sexual exploitation, a web of exploitation that campaigners say cannot be tackled without serious public investment.

Most Read

Ranked: All 24 Russell Group universities by how terrifying their financial deficits are

The Boys’ Karl Urban likes brutal post dragging season five as viewers say it ‘doesn’t make sense’

Worst Ex Ever: Varya Malina shares shocking update on 90 Day Fiancé partner Geoffrey Paschel

Birmingham, via Unsplash

John Herriman, Chief Executive of the CTSI, said: “It is clear from this research that serious and organised crime is endemic across the UK, and the threat posed by illegitimate high street businesses is having a significant impact on the work of Trading Standards, and our ability to protect consumers and maintain the level playing field for legitimate business.”

Echoing these concerns, the Association of Convenience Stores warned that legitimate retailers are being undercut and undermined.

Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive, Ed Woodall, said: “Responsible convenience retailers are extremely frustrated with rogue traders operating with impunity in their local area.

“We have consistently called for trading standards to be given the resources they need to tackle the dangerous and growing illicit market blighting communities across the UK.

“Tens of millions of pounds need to be invested in local enforcement capacity to shut down these rogue traders and support the responsible retailers that are suffering as a result.”

As a whole, the report underscores a growing crisis on Britain’s high streets, one that, without decisive intervention, risks further entrenching organised crime in everyday community life.

Birmingham City Council has been contacted for comment.

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Birmingham Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Featured image via Unsplash