"these products often fail to meet safety standards"
More than 10,000 suspected illegal items have been seized and four men arrested following a joint enforcement operation targeting organised crime in Canterbury city centre.
Kent Police officers, Trading Standards and the Fair Work Agency carried out the operation on August 28, 2026.
Teams visited seven vape and phone repair shops in Canterbury following intelligence suggesting the businesses were involved in selling counterfeit and non-compliant goods.
Thousands of items were seized during the operation, including nicotine pouches, headphones, toys, vapes and mobile phones.
Officers suspected the products did not comply with UK safety and trading regulations.
Four men were arrested during the operation:
- A 30-year-old Pakistani national
- A 36-year-old Indian national
- A 38-year-old Pakistani national
- A 54-year-old Indian national
All four men have since been released on bail while enquiries continue.
The operation forms part of wider work by Kent Police and partner agencies to tackle crime and maintain safety across the Canterbury district.
Other businesses have recently been scrutinised as part of this work, including the licensed taxi trade, with officers and partner agencies checking that drivers and business owners meet the required standards.
Canterbury Chief Inspector Paul Stoner said:
“The sale of counterfeit goods puts members of our community at risk, as these products often fail to meet safety standards and may not have undergone the necessary regulatory checks.
“By removing them from our high street, we are not only keeping residents safe but are sending a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses acting outside of the law.
“Our neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work closely with partner agencies to ensure Canterbury remains a great place to shop and socialise.”
Kent County Council’s Head of Trading Standards, Steve Rock, said:
“Joint agency operations like this are an effective way to remove counterfeit and non-compliant products from our high streets.”
“These products can appear to be a bargain but often do not work as expected and, in some instances, can be dangerous.
“If a product looks too good to be true, then it is probably not genuine and not worth the risk.
“Kent Trading Standards will continue to work with partner agencies to identify and remove counterfeit and dangerous items from our high streets.”
