Cambridgeshire Police, alongside partners including local authorities and national enforcement agencies, have delivered a powerful message to criminals exploiting high street businesses: the sale of illicit tobacco, alcohol, and vapes will not be tolerated. The first visible outcome of this crackdown came on November 24 when Whittlesey Mini Market, at 2a Broad Street, was forcibly closed under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.
A notice in the shop window described the closure as an “adjourned closure notice,” stating there are reasonable grounds to believe that the premises had caused, or were likely soon to cause, nuisance and disorder to the public through the sale of illegal goods. The closure is subject to a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates Court on December 8, where police will seek to have the order ratified for up to three months.
The Whittlesey closure is the most visible sign of months of meticulous multi-agency operations targeting illegal trade.
During October, Cambridgeshire Police teamed up with Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Immigration Enforcement, and other partners to visit 36 cash-intensive businesses across Peterborough and East Cambridgeshire, including one in Whittlesey.
The operation, part of Operation Machinize 2, coordinated by the National Crime Agency, aimed to tackle money laundering, exploitation, and criminal activity concealed behind legitimate-looking businesses.
Over the three-week operation, authorities seized more than 8,000 suspected illegal vapes, nearly 280,000 cigarettes, 20kg of hand-rolled tobacco, and over 8,500 bottles of unlicensed alcohol.
The total estimated value of these goods is nearly £280,000. Six drug-related arrests were made, and investigations into wider criminality, including human trafficking and illegal working, remain ongoing.
Detective Inspector Shish Thind emphasised the significance of the operation: “This was a significant three-week partnership operation that resulted in taking a large quantity of illegal goods off the high street.
“It sends a clear message that we will not tolerate criminal activity hiding behind cash-rich businesses. We will continue to work with partners to tackle issues such as money laundering and exploitation to protect communities and ensure businesses operate lawfully.”
The crackdown extends beyond Whittlesey and Peterborough.
In June, Trading Standards led a multi-agency operation in Ely, Soham, and Littleport, seizing more than 32,000 cigarettes, 8.8kg of hand-rolling tobacco, and over 3,000 illegal vapes.
Specially trained Wagtail dogs assisted officers in detecting concealed tobacco. Over the last two years, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough authorities have confiscated roughly 13,000 illegal vapes and more than 100,000 illicit cigarettes countywide.
Peter Gell, Service Director for Regulatory Services at Cambridgeshire County Council, highlighted the broader impact: “These ongoing, targeted enforcement operations send a clear message to organised crime gangs that the sale of illegal tobacco and nicotine products will not be tolerated.
“The intelligence we receive from the public shows the local community strongly opposes these crimes. We will continue to act on their behalf.”
Operation Machinize 2 also included checks in barber shops and hand car washes to uncover any signs of modern slavery, while local youth police cadets aged 14 to 16 were engaged in efforts to tackle underage sales of vapes.
Shockingly, the volunteers were able to purchase vapes from two shops without any age verification, although five other premises refused the sale. Offending shops will now face enforcement in line with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Trading Standards policy.
Councillor Christian Hogg, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Regulatory Services, stressed public safety: “Our utmost priority is protecting people who can be put at risk from illegal alcohol, cigarettes, and tobacco. Ingredients are unregulated, and duty evasion hurts legitimate businesses.
“The public can play a vital role in keeping illegal products off the streets by reporting suspected sales to Trading Standards.”
The operation is part of a nationwide, multi-agency strategy led by the NCA and supported by every UK police force, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, HMRC, and Companies House. It demonstrates the combined power of law enforcement to disrupt organised crime, protect communities, and ensure lawful business operations.
Sergeant Mat Lupton-Pike of East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing highlighted the community benefits: “Illicit cigarettes, vapes, and tobacco pose a serious health risk while funding other criminal activity.
“Collaboration with agencies allows us to respond effectively to community concerns. The public can help us by reporting intelligence, allowing us to target those causing harm more efficiently.”
This latest closure in Whittlesey is just the beginning. Closure orders are being pursued against eleven other shops identified as selling illegal goods.
With sustained operations, community support, and rigorous enforcement, Cambridgeshire authorities are sending a resounding warning to criminals: crime won’t hide behind the local high street, and illegal trade will face the full force of the law.
For anyone with information about illegal sales, anonymous reporting is encouraged via Trading Standards or the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
Communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are being asked to stay vigilant and help safeguard public health and the integrity of lawful businesses.
FLASHBACK
In July 2024 The Whittlesey Local Store has been temporarily closed for business following complaints about sales of illicit items and organised crime.
The partial closure order was served on shop at 46 Market Street, Whittlesey, by the Neighbourhood Support Team and remained in place for the next three months (until 30 September).
Circumstances such as these are often a front for organised criminality and anti-social behaviour which has detrimental effects in our communities. As a force we are committed to tackling organised crime, working alongside partner agencies including Trading Standards and the local council, but most importantly, members of our communities.
