A BBC undercover investigation has uncovered that cocaine and cannabis are being openly sold in High Street mini-marts across the West Midlands. Secret footage captured inside Cradley Market, a shop in the region, shows an employee named Akwa offering drugs to a researcher within seconds.
"I've got weed, coke, everything. Whatever you want, I can sort you out," Akwa told the undercover researcher before supplying 3.5g of cannabis for £30 and later cocaine. When confronted by BBC UK Editor Ed Thomas, Akwa denied any wrongdoing, claiming he did not know what Thomas was talking about before asking the team to leave.
The Home Office responded, stating it is working with police, the National Crime Agency, and Trading Standards to "take the strongest possible action against these criminal businesses." West Midlands Police added that it would collaborate with partners to address complaints about illegal drug sales, anti-social behavior, and crime.
The findings highlight a concerning trend of drug dealing from legitimate storefronts, raising questions about the effectiveness of current enforcement measures.