UK Government Announces £30 Million High Street Organised Crime Unit

The UK government has announced a new £30 million High Street organised crime unit to be run by the National Crime Agency over the next three years. The unit will operate in three hotspot regions and include 75 new police officers along with additional funding for trading standards.

The government also said it will review enforcement powers and consult on extending closure orders for criminal businesses.

Of the total funding, £20 million will go to the National Crime Agency. 75 million will support immigration enforcement, HM Revenue and Customs, and unit operations. The National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1 billion of criminal cash is laundered through UK high street stores each year via businesses involved in fake goods, tax evasion, illegal working and illegal drug supply.

Mahmood said the unit will target shop fronts used for criminal activity and seize assets linked to organised crime. Security Minister Dan Jarvis told BBC News that thousands of raids are planned across the country in the coming months. He said the collaboration between the National Crime Agency, trading standards, local police and HM Revenue and Customs will improve targeting of enforcement.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute noted that resource cuts between 2011 and 2023 had allowed serious organised crime to gain a foothold on high streets. It called for longer closure orders, up to 12 months, with a possible complete ban for the worst offenders.