Government launches High Street Organised Crime Unit with £30 million funding

A new national law enforcement unit will target organized criminal gangs operating from storefronts on British high streets, the government has announced. The initiative, backed by £30 million in funding, will see rogue barber shops, vape stores, minimarts, and sweet shops linked to criminal activity face raids, closures, and cash seizures.

The centerpiece of the crackdown is a new High Street Organised Crime Unit, which will be overseen by Security Minister Dan Jarvis and supported by a £20 million National Crime Agency cell to coordinate a nationwide response. An additional £6 million will go to Trading Standards, with further funds allocated to Immigration Enforcement and HM Revenue & Customs. Seventy-five new police officers will also be recruited specifically to tackle high street gangs.

Officials stated that criminal groups have exploited seemingly legitimate businesses to launder money, undercut honest retailers, and facilitate other crimes. According to Trading Standards estimates, as many as half of convenience stores and vape retailers in some areas have links to organized crime, with similar concerns about a third of American candy stores and a quarter of fast-food...