Unannounced HMRC visits to Leicester High Streets

It's closing time for High Street crime

HMRC has made unannounced visits to 13 shops across Leicestershire as it scales up its work to tackle illegal activity on the high street. 

• Unannounced visits to 13 shops across Leicestershire 

• More than 5,000 cigarettes and 3,549 litres of alcohol seized  

• Part of 30,000 interventions this year by HMRC on the high street 

Officers from HMRC, with support from colleagues in Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement and Police, visited shops in Leicester. 

More than 5,000 cigarettes were seized by HMRC and Trading Standards along with 6 kilos of illicit hand-rolling tobacco, and 3,549 litres of alcohol.  

HMRC will use the intelligence gathered in its investigations to inform future action to tackle illegal activity on the high street. 

The visits, tax and organised crime investigations, seizures and warnings are part of HMRC’s plan to carry out more than 30,000 compliance interventions in 2026-27 to tackle tax fraud and illegal activity on the high street.  

HMRC and its partners are executing UK-wide investigations targeting enablers behind high street harm, including those using vape shops, barbers, souvenir shops, candy stores and convenience stores as fronts for money laundering and tax crime. 

Kevin Hubbard, Director of Small Business and Individuals Compliance at HMRC, said: 

"Too many high streets have been blighted by illegal activity that harms communities and undercuts honest businesses. We’re determined to change that. 

"We’re working in Leicestershire and across the UK, increasing our action targeting the criminals using shops as a front for tax evasion, money laundering and fraud. 

"This is a sustained, nationwide effort – and HMRC and its partners will use every power available to dismantle these criminal networks.” 

You can report High Street tax fraud here:

Report Tax Fraud

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