From Dailymail · · 1m 30s
What's really under the counter at the vape shop
Dodgy UK shops hide illicit goods in secret chambers.
In brief
Dodgy UK shops hide illicit goods in secret chambers. Police found £1,000 in counterfeit tobacco hidden in a vape shop's ceiling void. Originally reported by Dailymail.
What's hidden in vape shops
Officers found secret compartments in UK vape shops.
First hide discovered
A sniffer dog found illegal tobacco under a wall panel.
Second hide revealed
Officers pulled an electric radiator to find another chamber.
Hidden chambers used for
Shop owners stash counterfeit tobacco and dirty money.
Operation Machinize
UK police target shops linked to crime.
How hides work
Electromagnetic locks secure hidden spaces with remote controls.
First raid details
Vape shop had £1,000 in counterfeit tobacco ready for sale.
Second hide found
Empty chamber under shop floor in another location.
Brothel raid
Two people arrested for modern slavery and immigration crimes.
Security minister says
Hides hide shops from police and council officials.
Home Office plan
500 new officers to tackle money laundering networks.
Why shops are dodgy
Workers exploited or forced by threats to families.
Local trader says
Legitimate traders follow rules and expect others to do the same.
Shop owners profit
Selling illegal tobacco earns up to £3,000 weekly.
Tax impact
Illegal sales starve the Treasury of tax revenue.
What happens next
Government doubles closure period for dodgy shops to one year.
What matters most
Police found £1,000 in counterfeit tobacco hidden in a vape shop's ceiling void.
