Oxford Street sweet store raided after vacationer charged £900

Tourists who have been charged £900 for 2 packets of goodies led police to find the biggest haul of faux and dangerous items to have ever been seized from a store on Oxford Street.

The guests have been escorted again to the store via cops to verify they were given money back from the central London retailer.

A couple of days afterward 25 April, officials returned and seized £80,000 value of faux or unsafe items, Westminster City Council stated in a observation.

Adam Hug, chief of the council, stated: “We have known for a long time that US candy stores rip off customers, but charging £900 for two packets of sweets is a new low.”

During the raid, two store assistants ran off and disappeared by the use of a hidden panel within the basement wall which ended in a secret room of suspected unlawful items and an get away go out directly to the road, Westminster City Council stated.

According to the council, the seizures integrated 2,892 American meals pieces, greater than 30,000 cigarettes, 3,182 single-use vapes in addition to nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, trip adaptors and tool banks.

Food pieces together with cereals and goodies have been seized for infringements together with loss of labelling and presence of additions banned in the United Kingdom.

The cigarettes weren’t within the legally required undeniable packaging and have been lacking the deterrent photographs which seem on tobacco.

The single-use vapes integrated merchandise which claimed to be “zero nicotine” after which had nicotine displayed on their record of substances.

Other vapes claimed “puff” counts as top as 20,000 with tank sizes 4 to 5 occasions the criminal 2ml restrict.

The council stated the choice of combined sweet and memento retail outlets on Oxford Street has dropped from a top of 40 within the pandemic to 18 as of March 2025.

Mr Hug stated: “Our job is to protect people who visit the West End from being exploited and continuing raids and court appearances will ensure life is sour for the rogue US sweet shop trade.

“Hopefully, the autumn within the choice of US sweet and memento stores manner the tide goes out in this tatty business.”