Hundreds arrested in High Street crime crackdown
🚨 Over 920 Jailed in UK-Wide High Street Crime Crackdown
Targeted raids on High Street vaping shops, barbers, and takeaways have resulted in more than 920 people being jailed, following the biggest operation of its kind coordinated by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Authorities issued more than 340 notices for unlawful employment and renting, which may result in fines for employers and landlords.
The operation follows a recent BBC investigation which exposed a Kurdish criminal network. The BBC revealed crime fixers claiming they could make £60,000 in fines "disappear" and showed how the network used "ghost directors"—individuals listed on official company documents but uninvolved in day-to-day operations. Posing as refugees, undercover journalists were told how simple it was to take over a store and make thousands of pounds a week from illicit cigarettes. The Home Office announced it would investigate the BBC's findings.
seized Seizures and Referrals
The NCA led the month-long crackdown, which involved visits to 2,734 High Street premises.
Officers seized:
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Over £500,000 in cash
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70 kilograms of cannabis
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Millions of illegal cigarettes and vapes
The illicit tobacco alone equates to more than £3.5 million in skipped duty. In total, over £10 million in cash, frozen bank accounts, and confiscated criminal assets were recovered. Furthermore, over 450 registered businesses have been referred to Companies House for further investigation.
"Thousands of officers have been deployed around the country, targeting criminal revenue and the means of obtaining it," said Rachael Herbert, director of the NCA's National Economic Crime Centre. "Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of harmful and illegal products have been taken off our streets, as well as over £10 million in cash, frozen in bank accounts, and criminal assets confiscated."
According to the NCA, at least £12 billion in criminal revenue is generated in the UK annually, much of which originates overseas or is siphoned through financial services to be reinvested in crime.
🏛️ Political and Agency Response
Senior politicians have warned that the UK-wide criminal network exposed by the BBC is acting as a "pull factor" for illegal migration to the UK.
According to the BBC, 25 Labour MPs, led by Melanie Onn (MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes), have joined a movement to "shut down dodgy stores" following complaints in their constituencies. The group is pushing for new legislative authority and tougher penalties.
"Criminals are using these dodgy stores as fronts for serious organised crime, money laundering, and illegal labour, putting the future of the British High Street in jeopardy," said Dan Jarvis, the Home Office Security Minister. "We've stepped up our joint efforts with law enforcement to capture illicit networks and relentlessly pursue those who use dirty money for personal gain."
October's "Operation Machinize" marked the second month-long intensification of High Street visits this year, following a similar operation in March. The joint initiative saw police forces across the UK collaborating with colleagues from Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs, and Home Office Immigration Enforcement.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CSTI), which represents officers in councils across the UK, told the BBC that "the threat of serious and organised crime on our High Streets was identified as the number one threat facing our members." As a result, the CSTI is calling for increased resources and authority for officers to close non-compliant businesses.
