Barking and Dagenham’s Trading Standards joined forces with the police.
Members of the Barking and Dagenham Council’s Trading Standards team joined up with Police Cadets, who are aged between 13 and 16 years of age, to carry out the test purchases.
A test purchase is when a local authority employs someone under the legal age of an age restricted product, such as alcohol and cigarettes, to try and purchase said product to check if the company are abiding by the law.
The initiative, known as Operation Spectre, saw the Cadets try and purchase products from 68 businesses in the borough.
Of those, four failed the test and the businesses involved will now face further action which could see their licences reviewed.
Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “Operations like this are really important to ensure the safety of young people and to make sure that they don’t get their hands on products, such as alcohol and cigarettes.
“I’m really pleased that the majority of the businesses passed the test, and I would like to say a huge thank you to the Police Cadets and of course our Trading Standards officers for their joint work on this.”
The council’s have reminded businesses to ensure they’re doing all they can to prevent the sale of age restricted goods to those underage.
If residents are aware of businesses selling age restricted products to young people they are being asked to report them to tradingstandards@lbbd.gov.uk.
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