Organised Crime: Retail Trade
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Home Office’s press release entitled New high street unit set up in nationwide blitz on dodgy shops, published on 19 May 2026, what estimate she has made of the number of dodgy shops operating in (a) Basildon, (b) Thurrock, and (c) Essex.
Answered by Sarah Jones
The Home Office does not hold current data on the number of illegitimate businesses operating in Basildon, Thurrock and Essex. However, the National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1 billion is being laundered through rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and nail bars operating on our highstreets.
On 19 May, the Government announced a £30 million crackdown targeting cash intensive business such as barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops operating on our high streets, over three years. This includes a specific uplift to Essex and Kent Police.
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