Reported by Ed Thomas

(Summarized version featured below)

In a coordinated crackdown dubbed Operation Machinize, UK authorities raided 265 businesses across England and Wales—mainly barbershops, vape stores, and mini-marts—suspected of operating as fronts for organized crime. In Shrewsbury, officers detained two Kurdish asylum seekers and uncovered cash and illicit vapes during a raid on a barber shop, which authorities believe may have been involved in money laundering, drug dealing, and illegal immigration. Detective Inspector Daniel Fenn noted that many of these businesses claim unrealistically high incomes despite having few customers, raising suspicions about their true activities.

The operation, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), comes amid public concerns about the rapid growth of such businesses while traditional High Streets decline. Officials uncovered various illegal operations during the raids, including a cannabis farm, heroin, anabolic steroids, and even a machete. Authorities arrested 35 people and questioned 55 suspected illegal immigrants, identifying three potential victims of modern slavery. Despite operating in plain sight for years, this is the first major multi-agency effort to tackle the criminal networks believed to be using these storefronts for laundering up to £12 billion in illicit cash annually.

Despite the scale of the operation, results have been mixed: only ten shops have been shut down so far, with many reopening shortly after the raids. Investigators face challenges tracing the true owners of these businesses, as shops frequently change names and staff deny knowing their employers. Officials say more resources and stronger legal powers are needed to shut down repeat offenders quickly. Security Minister Dan Jarvis stressed the urgency of disrupting these networks, warning that they erode community trust and threaten national security. The NCA now aims to analyze the operation’s findings to dismantle the wider criminal infrastructure behind the shops.

Read full version: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3677xzk56no.amp