**UK Government to Double Closure Period for Illegal Mini-Marts to 12 Months Following BBC Investigations**
**London, UK** – Illegal mini-marts across England and Wales will soon face closure orders of up to 12 months, a significant increase from the current six-month maximum, under new legislative changes prompted by a BBC investigation into illicit trading.
The move aims to provide stronger powers to local authorities and trading standards teams tackling shops that repeatedly break the law, often involved in selling counterfeit goods, smuggled tobacco and alcohol, or illicit vapes to underage customers.
Currently, enforcement agencies are limited to issuing closure orders for a maximum of six months. This new legislation, once enacted, will effectively double that period, making it a more substantial deterrent against persistent offenders.
The BBC’s recent expose highlighted the scale of the problem, revealing how some rogue retailers quickly reopen or relocate after a six-month shutdown, undermining enforcement efforts and posing risks to public health and safety. The extended closure period is expected to make it significantly harder for these businesses to resume illegal operations, giving communities and legitimate businesses greater protection.
While specific details on the implementation timeline are pending, the government has indicated its commitment to a crackdown on illicit trade, empowering local councils to more effectively tackle unscrupulous traders who undermine legitimate businesses and endanger consumers.
The extended closure period is part of a wider effort to combat organised crime linked to illicit goods and to protect consumers from unsafe products, marking a tougher stance against those who exploit regulatory loopholes for financial gain.
