Police given powers to shut 'dodgy' vape shops, barbers and nail salons for up to a year in major crackdown
The new law will double the maximum six months allowed under current rules
Police will be able to shut “dodgy” vape shops, barbers and nail salons for up to a year in a bid to crack down on organised crime on high streets.
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The legislation due to be introduced later this year will double the maximum six months allowed under current rules, which the Home Office says has led to businesses reopening before investigations are finished.
Raising the maximum time frame for the temporary closure orders is designed to give investigators more time to gather evidence, pursue prosecutions and identify the criminal bosses acting behind the scenes.
The Government plans to bring in secondary legislation to extend the closure orders by the end of the year following consultation.
Officials are also urgently reviewing the inclusion of vape shops, barbers and car washes on the skilled-worker sponsorship list amid concerns about abuse of the visa system.
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Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “High streets across the country have been hijacked by criminal gangs operating in plain sight – running vape stores, dodgy barbers, and nail salons to launder their dirty money.
“I have launched a nationwide crackdown to raid and close thousands of illegal businesses, arrest bosses and seize their dirty cash.
“But I will go further – introducing new laws to close these shops for good and put criminal bosses behind bars.”
John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said: “Closure orders are a key enforcement tool for trading standards officers in tackling ‘dodgy shops’ but our members have made us aware of challenges that limit their current impact.”