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Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Oxford Street sweet shop caught selling drug-infused confectionery
A sweet shop on Britain's busiest shopping strip has been caught selling drug-infused treats. The Londenro store, located on Oxford Street, was found to be selling desserts laced with illicit substances, including cookies containing psychedelic mushrooms. The discovery was made after Westminster Council launched a probe following a report that a shopper had been hit with an £899 bill for trying to buy two packs of sweets. The investigation revealed that the shop was stocking products like 'Magic Dragon' cookies — which, far from being innocent snacks, were found to include magic mushrooms. Boxes marked 'Game Over' were also seized. On April 25, officers carried out a raid at the shop. As they entered, two workers bolted to the basement and made their escape through a concealed exit hidden behind a wall panel. But when the panel was moved, authorities found a secret room holding counterfeit items worth an estimated £80,000. The shop's director, Ahmad Yar Jan, later told the court he had no issue with the confiscated products being destroyed. Meanwhile, a neighbouring store styled as a 'Harry Potter'-themed shop was also caught up in the operation. Authorities say it had been selling cannabis-derived items including Hashish and White Widow CBD, without the proper licensing. The store is operated by 5IVESTAR Limited, and an individual connected to it appeared in court with Yar Jan. Many of the seized products didn't include English-language labelling, raising serious safety concerns over unknown ingredients and potential allergens. Council leader Adam Hug didn't mince his words, saying: "It is rather ironic that a shop calling itself a Harry Potter store appears to have been selling products that claim they would get the user higher than a Quidditch player. "The food products here were part of a raid at two addresses on Oxford Street which have taken thousands of items worth £80,000 off the streets." He added: "One of these 'magic cookies' products was labelled game over – however the only game over will be for unscrupulous traders who sell illegal goods to the public. We have known for a long time that US candy stores rip off customers, but charging £900 for two packets of sweets is a new low, even for the unscrupulous people who run these rackets. "Our job is to protect people who visit the West End from being exploited and continuing raids and court appearances will ensure life is sour for the rogue US sweet shop trade."
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Urgent warning to parents over THOUSANDS of illegal drug-laced sweets including ‘magic mushroom cookies' flooding UK
The shop also contained a secret escape route in the basement CANDY DANGER Urgent warning to parents over THOUSANDS of illegal drug-laced sweets including 'magic mushroom cookies' flooding UK A SHOP on the busiest in the UK has been selling drug-laced sweets - including magic mushroom cookies. Police launched a raid on the shop was launched after a shopper was charged £899 for trying to purchase two packs of sweets. 4 A raid on a West End shop uncovered secret supplies of drugs disguised as sweets Credit: Central News 4 The store had labelled the mushrooms with vague names including Game Over and Magic Dragon Credit: Central News 4 CBD cookies were also seized from the Harry Potter shop next door Credit: Central News The Londonero shop on Oxford Street was selling a variety of drugs disguised as everyday desserts. Investigators from Westminster Council found the American-style candy shop had been selling Magic Dragon cookies - which actually contained magic mushrooms. There were three other boxes of cookies labelled Game Over. When the raid took place on April 25, two shop assistants fled downstairs and escaped using a secret exit. The secret passage was hidden behind a panel in the basement wall which took them back up to street level. However, by moving the panel, they revealed a room which contained £80,000 worth of fake goods. The director of the store, Ahmad Yar Jan, told a court that he was happy for the goods to be destroyed by the council. The Harry Potter shop next door was also found to be selling unlicensed Hashish and White Widow CBD products. An unnamed individual linked to the wizard-themed shop, ran by 5IVESTAR Limited, appeared in court alongside Yar Jan. Many of the products which were seized had no English translation on the box, which sparked allergy fears since their contents was unknown. Sneak peek inside new Oxford Street Ikea After the arrests, Labour leader of Westminster City Council, Adam Hug, said: ''It is rather ironic that a shop calling itself a Harry Potter store appears to have been selling products that claim they would get the user higher than a quidditch player. 'The food products here were part of a raid at two addresses on Oxford Street which have taken thousands of items worth £80,000 off the streets. 'One of these 'magic cookies' products was labelled game over – however the only game over will be for unscrupulous traders who sell illegal goods to the public." The news comes as Westminster Council has announced that reducing the huge number of sweets shops on Oxford Street is a priority. Adam Hug added: 'We have known for a long time that US candy stores rip off customers, but charging £900 for two packets of sweets is a new low, even for the unscrupulous people who run these rackets. 'Our job is to protect people who visit the West End from being exploited and continuing raids and court appearances will ensure life is sour for the rogue US sweet shop trade. 'Hopefully, the fall in the number of US candy and souvenir shops means the tide is going out on this tatty trade.'
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Oxford Street sweet shop caught selling magic mushrooms as police raid London store
Police raided an American candy shop on London's West End after one customer reported being charged nearly £900 for two packets of sweets - and found Magic Mushroom cookies for sale A West End sweet shop has been shut down after it was found to be selling magic mushrooms in a police raid. The 'Londenero' shop on Oxford Street - formerly known as Gummylicious - was caught selling a range of items under the banner 'Hyper Products'. These included four Magic Mushroom cookies labelled 'Magic Dragon', and three other cookies bearing the name 'Game Over'. The Met Police operation - which forms part of a wider crackdown on 'American candy' outlets in the busy shopping district - came after one customer reported being charged nearly £900 for two packets of sweets. The neighbouring ' Harry Potter shop' on Oxford Street, ran by the company '5IVESTAR Limited', was meanwhile to be found selling food products without English translations on the label. Unauthorised 'Hashish' and 'White Widow' CBD cookies were seized from the 'Harry Potter', shop previously known as Royal Britania, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard. The director of Londonero, Ahmad Yar Jan, appeared in court alongside another person linked to the adjacent wizard-themed shop ran by 5IVESTAR Limited. Solicitor Kirsty Panton, for Westminster City Council, said the case concerned unauthorised novelty foods and products bearing non-English food labels. She said a food condemnation order for the distribution of unlicensed novelty goods related only to Londenero. Matthew Nelson, Senior Environmental Health Officer at Westminster City Council, said he "found numerous products" in both shops that were "on sale with no English translation". He added that this "poses a health risk to any customer with potential allergies, or any customer wishing to read the nutritional declarations for certain health issues, such as diabetes." Mr Nelson said that in the Harry Potter shop he identified a "cell" of CBD products not on the approved novelty registry for the Food Safety Act, while "magic mushroom cookies" were found in the the Londenero store. He added: "There is no transparency, we don't know where these products came from - there is no country or origin, no registered address for the manufacturer - which is legally required." Mr Nelson said the company name on suspect products was 'Hyper Products', and told the court: "The company, when google searched, comes up completely blank - there is no information at all." The council official said he gave the companies three weeks to provide English-translated labels for the items, but received no response. More than 3,000 products were seized from both shops - including seven magic mushroom cookies and "around 10" unlicensed CBD products. Packs of iilicit cigarettes - including from the knock-off ' Manchester ' brand - were also seized. Londonero owner Mr Jan told the court he was not in the shop in the past few months because of a 'family matter'. The businessman said he 'didn't know' how the magic mushroom cookies came to be in the store. District Judge Patricia Evans asked if he was happy for the council to destroy the items seized from his store. Mr Jan replied: "Yeah, no problem." He was ordered to pay £2,760 to cover the council's costs, while 5IVESTAR LTD must pay £2664 in costs.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Daily Mail
West End sweet shop caught selling magic mushrooms as police raid store after tourist charged £899 for two bags of sweets
A sweet shop located in the heart of London 's West End has been caught selling magic mushroom cookies after police were alerted to a tourist charged £899 for two bags of sweets. The 'Londenero' shop - formerly known as Gummylicious - and located on 39BB Oxford Street, was raided by the Metropolitan Police following a complaint by a disgruntled customer who was charged nearly a grand for two packets of sweets. Investigators from Westminster Council uncovered that the candy shop had been selling magic mushroom cookies, with four labelled 'Magic Dragon', while three other cookies were named 'Game Over'. Meanwhile, unlicensed 'Hashish' and 'White Widow' CBD products were also seized from the neighbouring ' Harry Potter ' shop next door, a court has heard. Ran by the company '5IVESTAR Limited', the popular shop was found to be selling food products without English translations on the label. It comes following the large-scale US style raid that took place on the sweet shop on the weekend of April 25 that revealed a hidden section leading to an underground tunnel that two staff members used to flee from police. Police officers were shocked to discover a hidden part of the store, tucked away behind a camouflaged wall adorned with bags in the basement. Bodycam footage shows a covert part of the store rammed with thousands of alleged thousands of alleged counterfeit items, totaling to a 'street value' of around £80,000. Whilst extensively patrolling the scene, the officer discovered a secret tunnel from which two shop assistants fled, avoiding capture, according to the Evening Standard. The raid was understood to be the largest impounded haul of suspected fake and unsafe goods on Oxford Street so far, with more than 3,000 products seized from both shops - including seven magic mushroom cookies and 'around 10' unlicensed CBD products. The thousands of items included American food, cigarettes, single use vapes, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco and travel adaptors as well as power banks. Now, the director of the 399B store, Ahmad Yar Jan, has appeared in court alongside an unnamed individual linked to the adjacent wizard-themed shop ran by 5IVESTAR Limited. Solicitor Kirsty Panton, for Westminster City Council, said the case concerned unauthorised novelty foods and products bearing non-English food labels. She made clear a food condemnation order for the distribution of unlicensed novelty goods related only to Londenero. Pictured: seized CBD products. Appearing in court, Matthew Nelson, Senior Environmental Health Officer at Westminster City Council, said that in the Harry Potter shop he identified a 'cell' of CBD products not on the approved novelty registry for the Food Safety Act Matthew Nelson, Senior Environmental Health Officer at Westminster City Council, said he 'found numerous products (in both shops) that were on sale with no English translation. '(This) poses a health risk to any customer with potential allergies, or any customer wishing to read the nutritional declarations for certain health issues, such as Diabetes.' Mr Nelson said that in the Harry Potter shop he identified a 'cell' of CBD products not on the approved novelty registry for the Food Safety Act. Meanwhile, in the popular US sweet shop, 'magic mushroom cookies' were discovered. He added: 'There is no transparency, we don't know where these products came from - there is no country or origin, no registered address for the manufacturer - which is legally required.' The company name attached to the suspected 'Hyper Products', was also alleged by Mr Nelson to come up 'completely blank' when google searched, with 'no information at all' available. Mr Nelson said he gave the companies 'three weeks to provide English-translated labels for the items' but received no response. Pictured: alleged counterfeit cigarettes on a shelf discovered during the raid on the sweet shop. The owner of the sweet store, Ahmad Yar Jan, was ordered to pay £2,760 to cover the council's costs while 5IVESTAR LTD must pay £2664 in costs However, Mr Jan told the court he had not been in the shop over the past few months because of a 'family matter' and that he 'didn't know' how the magic mushroom cookies came to be in the store. District Judge Patricia Evans asked the businessman if he was happy for the council to destroy the items seized from his store. Mr Jan replied: "Yeah, no problem." He was ordered to pay £2,760 to cover the council's costs while 5IVESTAR LTD must pay £2664 in costs. Regarding the significant raid of the once much-loved sweet shop, Councillor Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said: 'We have known for a long time that US candy stores rip off customers, but charging £900 for two packets of sweets is a new low, even for the unscrupulous people who run these rackets. 'Our job is to protect people who visit the West End from being exploited and continuing raids and court appearances will ensure life is sour for the rogue US sweet shop trade. 'Hopefully, the fall in the number of US candy and souvenir shops means the tide is going out on this tatty trade.' It comes as the number of mixed candy and souvenir stores on Oxford Street has declined from 40 to 18 since the pandemic, as of March 2025. Trading standards officers have seized more than £1 million in fake and unsafe goods over the past two years. Westminster City Council has since led a series of successful court actions against candy and souvenir stores to recover unpaid business rates.
