Latest news with #DanielFenn
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
More shop and barber raids to come, says inspector
A police inspector in charge of an operation investigating high street businesses acting as fronts for criminal activity has said there are more raids to come. Raids in Shrewsbury, Hereford and Worcester, were amongst 265 carried out across England and Wales as part of a crackdown on businesses - often Turkish-style barbers, vape shops and mini-marts - suspected of being fronts for international crime gangs. Det Insp Daniel Fenn of West Mercia Police said from the 33 warrants issued, four arrests for money laundering and immigration offences were made. He told BBC Radio Shropshire: "You shouldn't be worried about going into a barber shop because some of them are being run legally." "However, the signs to look out for are if a shop is always closed, are they being run at odd times, do you see quite a lot of activity during the night time hours, do they have very few customers but lots of workers in the shop, for example?" Small shops, barbers and vape stores are suspected of being fronts for illegal activity like human trafficking and money laundering as part of the National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation, known as Operation Machinize. The Shrewsbury raid was on a barber shop in the centre of town, one of five close together which were also targeted in the operation. West Mercia Police arrested one man for money laundering offences in relation to a raid on a barber shop in Worcester, while three others were arrested in Hereford and Worcester for immigration offences. Det Insp Fenn said police had seen many barber shops opening across the country, both in urban and rural areas. "That is not to say that all of them are run illegally but obviously with more and more popping up it raises questions," he said. He said while the raids resulted in organised crime being uncovered, police had to act quickly as offenders moved on. "We found the ones we did [raid] across the West Mercia area were linked, they are either linked through the same directorship or linked to other shops such as sweet shops or vape shops, so there are a wide span of businesses linked to either one person or intrinsically linked across a number of pieces." From the raids in Shropshire, West Mercia Police recovered £500,000 in illegal assets, linked to tobacco, illicit vapes and large amounts of cash stored in ways that were "indicative to money laundering." Det Insp Fenn said the money would now go back into West Mercia Police and the Home Office to continue to tackle organised crime across the country. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Police raid barbers and vape shops suspected of being fronts for crime gangs West Mercia Police National Crime Agency
BBC News
16-04-2025
- BBC News
West Mercia Police say more shop and barber raids to come
A police inspector in charge of an operation investigating high street businesses acting as fronts for criminal activity has said there are more raids to come. Raids in Shrewsbury, Hereford and Worcester, were amongst 265 carried out across England and Wales as part of a crackdown on businesses - often Turkish-style barbers, vape shops and mini-marts - suspected of being fronts for international crime Insp Daniel Fenn of West Mercia Police said from the 33 warrants issued, four arrests for money laundering and immigration offences were told BBC Radio Shropshire: "You shouldn't be worried about going into a barber shop because some of them are being run legally." "However, the signs to look out for are if a shop is always closed, are they being run at odd times, do you see quite a lot of activity during the night time hours, do they have very few customers but lots of workers in the shop, for example?" Small shops, barbers and vape stores are suspected of being fronts for illegal activity like human trafficking and money laundering as part of the National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation, known as Operation Shrewsbury raid was on a barber shop in the centre of town, one of five close together which were also targeted in the Mercia Police arrested one man for money laundering offences in relation to a raid on a barber shop in Worcester, while three others were arrested in Hereford and Worcester for immigration offences. Det Insp Fenn said police had seen many barber shops opening across the country, both in urban and rural areas."That is not to say that all of them are run illegally but obviously with more and more popping up it raises questions," he said. He said while the raids resulted in organised crime being uncovered, police had to act quickly as offenders moved on. "We found the ones we did [raid] across the West Mercia area were linked, they are either linked through the same directorship or linked to other shops such as sweet shops or vape shops, so there are a wide span of businesses linked to either one person or intrinsically linked across a number of pieces."From the raids in Shropshire, West Mercia Police recovered £500,000 in illegal assets, linked to tobacco, illicit vapes and large amounts of cash stored in ways that were "indicative to money laundering."Det Insp Fenn said the money would now go back into West Mercia Police and the Home Office to continue to tackle organised crime across the country. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
11-04-2025
- Telegraph
Our broken immigration system is endangering our high streets
For years, 'fronts' have been operating in high streets across Britain in open sight – arousing much local suspicion but usually facing little to nothing in the shape of law-enforcement action. This is not simply an inner-city phenomenon – it is one that has affected towns such as Shrewsbury in Shropshire. However, there are signs that times are changing, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) launching 'Operation Machinize' – the first co-ordinated action of its kind by police, tax and immigration inspectors, and Trading Standards officers. Recently in Shrewsbury the latter witnessed West Mercia police officers batter down the back door of a barber shop and detain two men who were Kurdish asylum seekers. The police force revealed that its intelligence has led it to believe that the establishment was associated with illegal immigration, drug dealing, and the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes. Detective Inspector Daniel Fenn, from West Mercia Police's Economic Crime team, said some barber shops have claimed income of £100,000 to £150,000 a month, but simply don't command the number of customers to back up this level of income generation - an all too familiar across Britain. Speaking on the NCA's 'Operation Machinize', which aims to crack down on money-laundering fronts, security minister Dan Jarvis spoke of how high-street crime 'undermines our security, our borders, and the confidence of our communities'. But it is much deeper than that. Britain's illegal immigration complex – incorporating 'fronts' for international criminal gangs which often take the shape of Turkish-style barbers, vape shops, and mini-marts – threatens to rip apart the social fabric of modern Britain. All this fuels resentment among established law-abiding communities which have seen their high streets descend into criminality – being taken over by international criminal enterprises who have reconverted these dilapidated and run-down areas into hubs of money-laundering activity. Town-centre disintegration has been a gift for exploitative gangs who have been provided with a steady supply of illegal migrants due to Britain's dysfunctional border-security system. Far stronger prison sentences need to be introduced and given to those who profit from Britain's illegal-immigration complex – including people smugglers and human traffickers, exploitative gang-leaders who knowingly employ illegal migrants, and unscrupulous landlords who house them in overcrowded and unsanitary properties. Additional punishments should be given in cases of modern slavery. While the British high street has suffered in the era of online shopping, the Labour Government should consider town-centre regeneration as an integral part of its economic policy. Revitalising high streets is not an easy task – but it must start with the crackdown on fronts of illegal activity. After that, improving public transport links, creating hybrid spaces, and fostering community ownership should all be part of an ambitious agenda to revive the high street into places of ethical commerce, social purpose, and civic pride.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Our broken immigration system is endangering our high streets
For years, 'fronts' have been operating in high streets across Britain in open sight – arousing much local suspicion but usually facing little to nothing in the shape of law-enforcement action. This is not simply an inner-city phenomenon – it is one that has affected towns such as Shrewsbury in Shropshire. However, there are signs that times are changing, with the National Crime Agency (NCA) launching 'Operation Machinize' – the first co-ordinated action of its kind by police, tax and immigration inspectors, and Trading Standards officers. Recently in Shrewsbury the latter witnessed West Mercia police officers batter down the back door of a barber shop and detain two men who were Kurdish asylum seekers. The police force revealed that its intelligence has led it to believe that the establishment was associated with illegal immigration, drug dealing, and the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes. Detective Inspector Daniel Fenn, from West Mercia Police's Economic Crime team, said some barber shops have claimed income of £100,000 to £150,000 a month, but simply don't command the number of customers to back up this level of income generation - an all too familiar across Britain. Speaking on the NCA's 'Operation Machinize', which aims to crack down on money-laundering fronts, security minister Dan Jarvis spoke of how high-street crime 'undermines our security, our borders, and the confidence of our communities'. But it is much deeper than that. Britain's illegal immigration complex – incorporating 'fronts' for international criminal gangs which often take the shape of Turkish-style barbers, vape shops, and mini-marts – threatens to rip apart the social fabric of modern Britain. All this fuels resentment among established law-abiding communities which have seen their high streets descend into criminality – being taken over by international criminal enterprises who have reconverted these dilapidated and run-down areas into hubs of money-laundering activity. Town-centre disintegration has been a gift for exploitative gangs who have been provided with a steady supply of illegal migrants due to Britain's dysfunctional border-security system. Far stronger prison sentences need to be introduced and given to those who profit from Britain's illegal-immigration complex – including people smugglers and human traffickers, exploitative gang-leaders who knowingly employ illegal migrants, and unscrupulous landlords who house them in overcrowded and unsanitary properties. Additional punishments should be given in cases of modern slavery. While the British high street has suffered in the era of online shopping, the Labour Government should consider town-centre regeneration as an integral part of its economic policy. Revitalising high streets is not an easy task – but it must start with the crackdown on fronts of illegal activity. After that, improving public transport links, creating hybrid spaces, and fostering community ownership should all be part of an ambitious agenda to revive the high street into places of ethical commerce, social purpose, and civic pride. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
