Time to kick illegal traders out of Kilburn
Ed Thomas
ILLEGAL traders on Kilburn High Road are transforming the area into "a Baghdad market" despite crackdowns by police and trading standards.
Officers have been out on the streets in recent weeks targeting people selling counterfeit CDs, DVDs, cigarettes and other dodgy goods.
And Kilburn residents have welcomed the efforts by the authorities but say more needs to be done to clean up the area.
"These sellers are quite threatening and they're all along the High Road," said Fordwych Road resident Terri Berg.
"It's making the place ugly, dirty, unpleasant - like a third world country. This is supposed to be London, a decent place. But Kilburn is absolutely ghastly, like a Baghdad market. We shouldn't have to put up with the sinister selling of illegal goods on our doorsteps."
The traders typically hail from Asia and the Middle East and work in packs of threes, with one person advertising the goods and another two on lookout for police.
When they spot police or trading standards officers they scarper but soon return to continue pushing their illegal wares.
Two weekends ago police hit the streets and arrested five people. One was cautioned and the other four were charged with possessing and offering for sale counterfeit goods.
"I understand there has been a police operation in the past week or so, but the sellers are back already," said Ms Berg.
"Just warning or fining people is not enough of a deterrent to these organised gangs coming from overseas. The goods should be seized, more serious punishments handed out and immigration checks carried out.
"If these people are in Britain illegally, they should be deported rather than given benefits and allowed to trade without paying any taxes or overheads."
Sergeant Eddie Odita from the Kilburn Safer Neighbourhoods team said his officers, volunteer special constables and the council have joined forces to try to catch the culprits.
"We do get calls from members of the public saying they are being hounded by the sellers," he said. "The weekend before last, we hit the High Road from 10am to 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday and made five arrests.
"We have got rid of most of the cigarette and CD sellers, and we are continuing to focus on the DVD sellers.
"It's up to the courts to decide the penalties, but my personal opinion is that they are too lenient. It is difficult to keep these people away, and stiffer penalties would help."
ed.thomas@hamhigh.co.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|