A recent multi-partner operation by Barnet Council ended in £78,800 worth of illicit items seized from a series of shops across North Finchley with £73,000 coming from one business.
The council’s Trading Standards team, alongside the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT), Licensing, Community Safety team and the Metropolitan Police, took part in a series of raids across seven shops, following a number of concerns about illicit trade in the area.
The ’day of action’ included:
- Trading Standards seizing 5,309 illegal goods including 4,977 illicit cigarettes and other tobacco items, and 332 counterfeit and unsafe electrical items
- The CAFT identified eight instances of Blue Badge fraud with one badge being seized and 3 parking tickets issued
- The Licensing team issued two Fixed Penalty Notices for unlicensed street trading
- The Community Safety team picked up two new fly-tipping cases
- The Police identified a shop selling stolen mobile phones
Of the £78,800 worth of goods seized, £73,000 came from just one business alone, making it the biggest single seizure of illegal cigarettes from one premises. The council’s Accredited Financial investigators are now looking to freeze unlawfully obtained funds held in bank accounts using the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Barnet Council Leader, Cllr Barry Rawlings, said: “We take a tough stance on illegal trading that is dangerous for Barnet’s consumers and deprives the public purse of revenue. Working in partnership, we have removed from the high street products that can harm or have been obtained by crime
“I hope that this series of successful shop raids will act as a deterrent by showing that we will clamp down on retailers operating outside of the law.”
Following last week’s raids, the council will now continue its investigations into the shops, with potential closures and formal sanctions including cautions and prosecutions likely to be considered.