Police Crack Down on Money Laundering, Slavery and Fake Goods

Operation Machinize Targets High Street Money Laundering

Throughout October, Devon & Cornwall Police joined forces with the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service and other partner agencies as part of Operation Machinize 2, the latest phase of a nationwide operation led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The operation focuses on high street businesses that handle large volumes of cash, which can be exploited by organised criminals to launder money or fund other criminal activity. The NCA estimates that around £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year.

Businesses visited in Plymouth, Cornwall and South Devon included barbershops, vape shops, nail bars, American-themed sweet shops and car washes.

Multi-Agency Effort Across the South West

Detective Chief Inspector Glenn Willcocks explained:
“One of the main aspects of Op Machinize is that it is multi-agency. Devon & Cornwall Police officers have been working alongside HMRC, Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and the fire service.

“This means that we have colleagues with relevant powers on hand if we encounter crimes other than money laundering, for instance counterfeit goods or immigration offences. As an example, our Home Office colleagues are on hand to question people about their immigration status should they need to.”

Devon & Cornwall Police have around 200 officers trained in responding to organised immigration crime and policing immigration-related offences. Several of these officers took part in visits across the region, leading to arrests for illegal entry into the country and for breaches of visa conditions.

£100,000 of Counterfeit Goods Seized

With support from Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, over £100,000 worth of counterfeit and illegal products were seized during the operation. Items included cigarettes, tobacco and vapes, as well as several bags of fake Labubu-style toys with easily removable eyes and feet that could have posed a danger to young children.

Alex Fry, Operations Manager for the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, said:
“We are pleased to have worked with Devon and Cornwall Police and other agencies as part of this operation. Combatting the supply of illegal tobacco and vapes is a high priority for us.

“On this occasion we not only discovered illegal tobacco and vape products but also seized unsafe toys.

“By taking these products off the streets, we’re able to help protect our communities as well as supporting those businesses on the high street that trade legally.”

Protecting Communities and Vulnerable People

DCI Willcocks added:
“Op Machinize helps us not only to disrupt criminal gangs and reduce any associated antisocial behaviour or harmful activities, keeping our communities safer, but also to safeguard vulnerable people who are being exploited.

“Our specially trained officers know how to question people carefully to reveal whether they really know the town or city they have found themselves in, and don’t assume that they are engaged in criminality but may actually be victims of modern-day slavery.”

“This ongoing work is removing criminal businesses from our high streets and across the country. If you have any information about criminal activity in business premises in your neighbourhood, please let us know. All intelligence received is very useful.”

Members of the public can report information via the Devon & Cornwall Police website or anonymously through Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.