A major crackdown on serious organised crime has uncovered Class B drugs, thousands of pounds worth of illegal cigarettes, and evidence of unlawful working practices across the South East in a wide-reaching, multi-agency operation.
Led by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), the targeted enforcement—part of Operation Machinize, a national initiative tackling cash-based money laundering—saw officers from Trading Standards, Immigration Enforcement, the Department for Work and Pensions, and police forces from Sussex, Hampshire and Thames Valley carry out unannounced inspections at 11 barbershops and vape stores.
These businesses are suspected of acting as fronts for organised criminal networks involved in laundering illicit profits through high-risk, cash-intensive industries.
Key Results from the Operation:
- Over 100 wraps of Class B drugs seized
- £1,000 worth of illegal cigarettes confiscated
- Two prohibition notices issued for major fire safety violations
- One arrest made by Immigration Enforcement for illegal working
- One business licence warning issued for failing to meet legal requirements
- Ongoing investigations launched into tax evasion, benefit fraud, and planning regulation breaches
Organised Crime Laundering Through ‘Legitimate’ Shops
Detective Inspector Emily Evans of SEROCU said the operation exposes how organised crime groups exploit everyday businesses:
“It’s estimated that around £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK annually. Much of this is filtered into the financial system through money laundering, often using legitimate-seeming businesses like barbers, vape shops, and nail salons to mask the origins of dirty money.
“A united front between policing and regulatory bodies is crucial to dismantling these criminal economies and bringing offenders to justice.”
Operation Machinize: The Bigger Picture
The raids form part of the National Crime Agency’s National Economic Crime Centre strategy to disrupt criminal cash flow through front businesses. These covert financial networks fund activities like drug trafficking, exploitation, and violence, with a significant portion of funds hidden in plain sight via everyday businesses.
Local communities have long raised concerns over suspicious activity behind some barbershops and vape stores operating with minimal customer footfall but large cash takings.
Authorities stress that while many such businesses operate lawfully, red flags such as unregistered employees, unusually high cash use, and links to known criminal figures are helping form an intelligence-led crackdown.
What Happens Next?
Investigations by HMRC, DWP, and local authorities are continuing, with more enforcement action, civil penalties and possible closures expected in the coming weeks.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicious business activity to Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111 or via their website.
For further updates and national context, visit the National Crime Agency (NCA) website.
