A south London shop window stacked with a rainbow of disposable vapes and rows of Apple‑branded boxes was the scene for a planned police entry after months of surveillance. Items bought from the premises and sent to independent laboratories were flagged as posing a high risk of electrocution or fire.
Most of the disposable vapes on display were illegal under a law introduced in June that bans single‑use devices to reduce environmental harm and curb youth use. The Lambeth store was one of six nearby electrical goods outlets raided by a taskforce of roughly 80 officers and staff from the Metropolitan Police, HM Revenue & Customs, the local authority and Trading Standards.
The raids formed part of Operation Machinize 2, a nationwide push against high‑street crime that targets cash‑heavy businesses operating in the “grey economy” thought to be tied to money laundering. The National Crime Agency helped plan the operation across more than 2,700 premises, which resulted in 924 arrests. Authorities say they seized over £10.7m in suspected illegal proceeds, 111,000 illegal vapes, 70kg of cannabis and 4.5m illicit cigarettes.
Inside the south London shop, many boxes bore identical serial numbers, a clear indicator of counterfeit goods despite Apple styling. Inspector Oliver Lamb, who led the Lambeth activity and has been with the force for more than a decade, said officers have returned to some of the same outlets repeatedly because earlier interventions did not deter managers from restocking.
He described a previous visit this year that led to the seizure of about £18,200 worth of Apple goods, not counting vapes, yet the stock reappeared. Companies House records link the small shop to multiple firms, including one now dissolved in the proprietor’s name.
As officers searched, the owner insisted items were genuine and argued with a trademark investigator, but police still removed counterfeit AirPods, chargers, cables and disposable vapes. Teams also inspected beneath counters and checked for hidden compartments—common places used to conceal other illicit activity. No secret rooms were found at this location, but officers took more than £3,000 in cash from the till.
Authorities say not all electrical goods retailers in the area are illegitimate, but the problem is widespread across the country. Local reactions during the raid were mixed: a passerby filmed and shouted at officers, while others kept eating lunch or continued shopping, with some customers still entering the store to buy products including a vape.
Inspector Lamb highlighted the public safety and consumer harms caused by such outlets. Staff at a nearby large retailer had reported seeing disposable vapes sold to children. Counterfeit items leave buyers without consumer protections, and unregulated vapes carry unknown health risks, he said, adding that real success comes from shutting down illegal operations so legitimate businesses can take their place.
Officials described Machinize 2 as the largest operation of its kind targeting the grey economy. Approximately £2.7m of illicit goods have been destroyed and more than 450 businesses were referred to Companies House for further investigation. Rachael Herbert, director of the NCA’s national economic crime centre, said depriving criminals of revenue reduces their ability to reinvest in offending and prevents them from occupying high‑street units that could be used by legitimate traders.
