Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 9 June 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scale of illicit trade, including counterfeit goods and illegal tobacco.
There is no robust assessment of illicit trade, which encompasses a wide range of crime threats and also covers devolved and reserved matters. The National Crime Agency has assessed that SOC offenders use high street businesses to support criminality, distribute illicit goods, engage in illegal working or launder funds. This can undermine legitimate businesses, damage consumer confidence and harm local investment. The Scottish Government is engaging with the UK Government and others to disrupt high street criminality.