Overview
- The month-long second stage of Operation Machinize visited 2,734 premises nationwide, focusing on barbers, vape and phone shops, minimarts, nail bars, car washes, takeaways and money service bureaus.
- Officers seized more than £10.7 million in suspected criminal proceeds along with 4.5 million illegal cigarettes, about 111,000 illegal vapes and 70kg of cannabis, with roughly £2.7 million of illicit goods destroyed.
- In London, the Met’s 30-venue sweep recovered £240,000 in counterfeit goods, around 1,200 illegal vapes and £22,000 in cash, removed knives and fraudulent payment devices, opened seven closure proceedings, and prompted five new HMRC investigations with modern slavery checks at seven sites.
- Over 450 businesses were referred to Companies House for further scrutiny, and follow-up investigations include a West Yorkshire case that seized assets worth more than £2 million such as gold bars and high-value watches.
- Police, NCA officials and MPs warn many raided businesses ‘phoenix’ under new names, prompting calls for stronger powers, better coordination and longer-term regulatory fixes.