The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) announced that 349 people had been arrested in a nationwide crackdown on businesses suspected of laundering criminal proceeds. During October, police inspected or raided 3,029 premises, including barbershops, vape stores and other cash-intensive businesses, seizing approximately $2.9 million in cash and obtaining court orders to freeze another $4.9 million in bank accounts. Authorities also identified or prevented an estimated $5.5 million in tax evasion and seized illicit goods worth nearly $9 million.
The operation was the latest phase of Operation Machinize, a nationwide campaign targeting businesses used to conceal criminal profits. An earlier phase of the crackdown resulted in more than 900 arrests and inspections of over 2,700 businesses. The NCA estimates that at least $1.3 billion in criminal proceeds is laundered through such businesses in the UK annually. The agency said the campaign is increasingly focused on identifying the criminal networks behind the businesses rather than just individual premises.
Source: OCCRP · 2026-11-12