ROGUE barber shops, vape stores and mini-marts linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures as part of a new crackdown spearheaded by a Barnsley MP.
It will be run by the National Crime Agency (NCA) over the next three years with Dan Jarvis, who represents Barnsley North, heading it due to his role as Security Minister.
Under the plans, shops will face increased raids, closures and cash seizures as part of the scheme by the police and Trading Standards.
Barnsley businesses have been warned that surveillance has already began thanks to local intelligence, with Dan revealing many are due to be targeted in a bid to stamp out shops being used as fronts for crime.
He added: “The government is determined to clean up our streets, protect our communities and ensure organised crime has no place in our towns and cities.
“The new collaboration between the NCA, Trading Standards, local police forces and HMRC will see much better targeting of enforcement.
“I am confident we will see serious organised criminals imprisoned and laundered money seized.
“Our high streets should be places where legitimate businesses can grow, not places where organised criminals hide behind shopfronts.
“This task force will harness the efforts of the National Crime Agency, national economic crime leads, local community policing, specialist officers and partners to target the businesses being used to launder criminal money, recover criminal assets and protect legitimate traders.
“The message to organised criminals is clear.
“If criminal cash is being pushed through high street businesses, policing and our partners will act.
“We will use intelligence, asset recovery and financial investigation to turn local disruption into lasting national impact.”
It comes as the NCA estimated at least £12bn of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, with £1bn laundered through high street businesses like mini-marts, barber shops, vape stores and sweet shops.
Some businesses are also connected to the sale of fake goods, tax evasion, illegal working, and illegal drug supply.
In Barnsley, scores of shops have been closed in the last 12 months due to illegal activity.
Lord Michael Bichard, chair of Trading Standards, added: “Organised high street crime, including the illegal sale of tobacco and counterfeit goods, is damaging communities across the country.
“These criminal networks undercut honest businesses, draw money away from local economies and expose consumers to unregulated and potentially unsafe products.
“They are also often linked to wider offending, including money laundering, exploitation and violence.
“The creation of a new high street organised crime unit will help drive a co-ordinated national response while strengthening local enforcement capability through additional support and funding for Trading Standards, police and partner agencies on the ground, who will work together to disrupt organised offenders, protect the public and support honest businesses that play by the rules.”
