BB guns not conforming to safety regulations, quantities of nitrous oxide and suspected unlicenced weight loss drugs have all been seized from high street shops across the county as part of Kent Police’s commitment to disrupt and target organised criminal gangs.
Secret spaces containing thousands of illicit cigarettes were uncovered. Disposable vapes, counterfeit toys and caffeine drinks were also found during the visits.
During searches assisted by detection dogs, illicit goods were found hidden in laundry bags, light fittings, adjoining flats and specially built hidden compartments within the shops.
A total of 70 businesses were visited in October, including grocery shops, nail bars, barbers and vape shops across Kent, with enquiries carried out into any reports of suspected offences, from money laundering and selling illegal or stolen goods, to modern day slavery and drug dealing.
Tackling high street criminality
The work carried out by officers and partner agencies was part of Operation Machinize, the ongoing project coordinated by the National Crime Agency to tackle money laundering and criminal use of cash-intensive high street businesses.
In total eight people were arrested as part of the work, and an estimated £28,472 worth of illicit cigarettes were seized.
Staff were spoken to about welfare and employment rights and those believed to be vulnerable and at risk of safeguarding issues were provided with support.
On 1 October a warrant was carried out at a shop in Herne Bay, where eight laundry bags and a fridge-freezer were found packed with tobacco, resulting in three men arrested.
Out of six shops visited in Dover on 12 October, illicit tobacco was found at two of them, with counterfeit toys seized at a third shop.
On 25 October, police in Medway stopped a car and found around £3,000 in cash and 770 packets of illicit tobacco, leading to the arrest of a 24 year old man from Sevenoaks on suspicion of fraud. Electronic fobs found in the car were traced back to a shop where they were used to activate a hatch to a hidden compartment in a shop. It contained 376 packets of cigarettes as well as tobacco.
All arrested have been bailed pending further enquiries.
Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey of Kent Police said: "By working with our partners, we can respond in the best way according to what is found during the visits.'As well as enforcement, we can educate and signpost those that need it to support services to ensure our high streets are safe and operating to a high level of quality service for the public."
"Those who use shops as fronts to run organised criminal networks will be uncovered and can expect to face legal action."