Police seize £500k illegal cash in barbershop raids

Police have seized more than £500,000 from barbershops being used as fronts for money laundering.

West Mercia Police said it executed 33 warrants in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire last month.

It was working in conjunction with Trading Standards, the immigration service, and HMRC.

"Whilst these businesses appeared legitimate, they were actually tools for criminals to hide illegal cash flow," said Det Insp Dan Fenn from the force's Economic Crime Unit (ECU).

The action was taken as part of Operation Machinize, which targeted criminal gangs using barbershops as fronts for fraud, money laundering, and the sale of illicit goods.

Officers seized more than £500,000 in illegal funds and £16,000 in cash.

A total of seven people were arrested by police and immigration officers.

"Organised crime groups are opportunistic and exploit legitimate businesses, such as barbershops, to hide their illegal cash flow," said Det Insp Fenn. "The high cash turnover of these businesses makes them ideal for disguising illicit activities.

"Our work during Operation Machinize sends a clear message to these crime networks: we will not tolerate criminal activity in our communities."

He added that the ECU had seized more than £6m in criminal assets since April 2024.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.