Events

Tackling High Street Crime Conference

Date:     Thursday 1st October 2026

Time:     10:00am - 2:40pm

Venue:  Digital Conference - Check Your System / Device Compatibility


  • Event Abstract
  • Programme
  • Key Speakers
  • Who Should Attend?
  • Marketing Opportunities

Britain’s high streets are at the heart of our communities, serving as centres for retail, leisure, hospitality and public services. However, changing consumer habits, the growth of online shopping and lasting impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to declining footfall, business closures and rising retail vacancies in towns and cities across the country.

As high streets continue to change, concerns are growing about the exploitation of high street businesses and vacant commercial premises by organised criminal groups. Seemingly legitimate businesses have increasingly been linked to wider criminality, including money laundering, illicit tobacco and vape sales, counterfeit goods, illegal labour exploitation and wider networks connected to drug supply, organised immigration crime, modern slavery and child exploitation.

Recognising the growing scale and complexity of the threat, the Government has announced a major new £20m investment to tackle organised high street crime, including the creation of a dedicated multi-agency High Street Organised Crime Unit led by the National Crime Agency. Building on the intelligence-led approach of Operation Machinize, the new unit will bring together law enforcement, local authorities, Trading Standards and other key partners to identify, prevent and disrupt organised criminal networks operating within local communities.

This timely conference brings together policymakers, law enforcement, local authorities, Trading Standards professionals, licensing authorities, retailers and community safety leaders to explore the growing threat posed by organised high street crime and examine how partners can work together to prevent, identify and disrupt organised criminal activity, protect local communities and take back Britain’s high streets.

Why Attend?

  • Hear directly from policymakers, law enforcement leaders, Trading Standards professionals and frontline practitioners on the growing threat posed by organised high street crime
  • Interactive Question Time sessions with opportunities to engage with all speakers
  • Get the latest insights into the nature and scale of organised criminal activity impacting Britain’s high streets and local communities
  • Examine the lessons learned from Operation Machinize and the role of the new High Street Organised Crime Unit in disrupting organised criminal networks
  • Learn practical approaches to prevention, intelligence-sharing and multi-agency partnership working
  • Understand how enforcement agencies and local partners are tackling money laundering, illicit trade and wider criminal exploitation
  • Explore strategies to support legitimate businesses and strengthen resilience within town centres and local economies
  • Share ideas and effective practice with professionals from policing, local government, Trading Standards, licensing, retail and community safety sectors
  • On demand – Exclusive access to speaker presentations and post-event resources

    • Policy Paper - Pride in Place Strategy

    News - 3 December 2024: Huge boost for high streets as councils get new powers

    Independent Report - May 2025: Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods: Delivering Neighbourhood Renewal - Proposals for Change

    News - 26 July 2025: Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars

    News - 24 September 2025: Communities to seize control over high streets and restore pride

    Independent Report - 28 September 2025: New Towns Taskforce: Report to government

    News - 31 January 2026: High streets to receive £150 million to restore community pride

    News - 30 April 2026: Biggest shake up in decades to tackle local crime

    News - 19 May 2026: New high street unit set up in nationwide blitz on dodgy shops

    News - 12 June 2026: Tax Minister to owners of dodgy shops: “We are coming for you”

    9:30am

    Delegate Online Login

    10:00am

    Introduction by Conference Organiser

    10:05am

    Chair's Welcome and Opening Remarks

    10:10am

    Keynote Address:

    Tackling High Street Organised Crime – The National Picture

  • Understanding the nature and scale of the threat posed by organised criminal activity on Britain’s high streets
  • Examining the role of the new High Street Organised Crime Unit in identifying, disrupting and preventing organised criminal activity
  • Learning how organised criminal groups exploit vacant commercial premises
  • Exploring the links between organised high street crime, modern slavery and wider criminal exploitation

    • 10:30am

    Keynote Address: Questions and Discussion

    10:50am

    Comfort Break

    11:00am

    Panel Session One:

    Prevention, Partnership and Early Intervention – Stopping Criminal Exploitation of the High Street

  • Pride in Place – Building safer, more resilient and economically sustainable high streets
  • Identifying the warning signs of organised criminal activity within local high streets and town centres
  • Explore the vital role of Trading Standards in supporting legitimate businesses, protecting consumers and identifying organised criminal activity
  • Preventing criminal groups from becoming embedded within communities through early intervention and intelligence-sharing
  • Effectively supporting legitimate businesses and protecting local economies from illicit trade and unfair competition

    • 12:00pm

    Panel Session One: Questions and Discussion

    12:20pm

    Comfort Break

    1:10pm

    Panel Session Two:

    Disrupting Organised High Street Crime – Enforcement, Intelligence and Multi-Agency Action

  • Learning Lessons from Operation Machinize - Developing effective disruption strategies through partnership working between retailers, law enforcement, local authorities, Trading Standards, and community organisations
  • Strengthening intelligence-sharing and developing coordinated multi-agency approaches to disrupting money laundering and organised criminal networks
  • Using Closure Orders and regulatory powers effectively to disrupt criminal activity and protect local communities
  • Tackling organised retail crime and protecting businesses, workers and consumers
  • Balancing robust enforcement with long-term regeneration and community confidence

    • 2:10pm

    Panel Session Two: Questions and Discussion

    2:30pm

    Final Questions and Chair's Summary & Closing Comments

    2:40pm

    End of Digital Conference

    *Please note the programme and timings are subject to slight alteration without notice
    CSTI

    Duncan Stephenson, Policy and External Affairs Director, Chartered Trading Standards Institute

    Policy Foresight

    More Speakers Coming Soon...

    • Local Authority Officers & Councillors
    • Central Government Departments & Agencies
    • Local Authority Trading Standards Teams (LATS)
    • Directors of Regeneration & Place
    • Business Improvement District
    • BID Managers
    • Economic Development Teams
    • Heads of Planning
    • Planning Policy Managers
    • Place-Based Partnerships Teams
    • Town Centre Managers
    • Licensing Officers
    • Licensing Committee Members
    • Community Safety Teams
    • Police Authorities
    • Police & Crime Commissioners
    • Neighbourhood Policing Officers & Practitioners
    • Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs)
    • Organised Crime Police Teams
    • Heads of Economic Crime
    • Financial Crime Leads
    • Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs)
    • National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Leads
    • Community Safety Officers & Managers
    • Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnerships
    • Anti-Social Behaviour Managers
    • Drug & Alcohol Managers
    • Court Service, Judges & Magistrates
    • Immigration Officers
    • Academics and Researchers

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