Almost one thousand people get detained amid criminal crackdowns
The month-long nationwide sweep — dubbed Operation Machinize 2 — was coordinated by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and focused on small high street businesses believed to be laundering proceeds from illegal enterprises.
Throughout October, law enforcement searched or raided 2,734 shops and other premises, resulting in 924 arrests and the seizure of over £10.7 million ($14 million) in suspected criminal assets.
Authorities also confiscated and destroyed illicit goods valued at £2.7 million, including 70 kilograms of cannabis, 111,000 unlicensed vapes, 4.5 million cigarettes, and 622 kilograms of illegal tobacco — representing roughly £3.5 million ($4.4 million) in unpaid taxes.
Officials issued 341 formal referrals for unlawful employment and housing activities, with potential penalties reaching £60,000 per undocumented worker and £20,000 per tenant for noncompliant landlords. More than 450 companies were also flagged for financial or operational irregularities.
The NCA characterized the operation as the largest and most coordinated effort yet to confront “the economic crime and grey economy that makes our high streets less safe and prosperous.”
Authorities estimate that around £12 billion ($15.2 billion) in illicit funds circulate annually through the UK economy, much of it funneled through small cash-based outlets such as corner shops, vape stores, nail salons, barbershops, and car washes.
Officials noted that these establishments are frequently tied to wider criminal schemes, including narcotics trafficking, tax fraud, and labor exploitation.
Rachael Herbert, director of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA, said the operation “targets businesses on our high street that are being used as cover for a wide range of criminality, making our communities less safe and less prosperous.”
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