Melanie Onn MP has welcomed new Government action to crack down on organised crime gangs exploiting Britain’s high streets through rogue businesses.
The Government has announced a £30 million nationwide crackdown targeting businesses linked to money laundering and criminal activity, including sham barber shops, vape stores, mini marts and sweet shops. The new measures will support raids, closure orders and the seizure of criminal assets as part of a wider effort to restore confidence in local high streets.
The plans include a new High Street Organised Crime Unit, bringing together the National Crime Agency, police, Trading Standards, HMRC and Immigration Enforcement to coordinate action against organised criminal networks.
Additional enforcement officers will also be recruited in hotspot areas, while Trading Standards teams will receive extra funding to step up inspections and enforcement activity.
The crackdown follows sustained campaigning by Melanie, alongside Labour colleagues, to tackle rogue businesses and the criminal activity linked to them. It also builds on Operation Machinize, which has already led to hundreds of arrests, thousands of premises visited and millions of pounds worth of criminal assets seized.
Melanie Onn, the MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, said:
“People across Grimsby and Cleethorpes want to feel proud of their local high streets again, and honest local businesses should not have to compete with criminal gangs operating in plain sight.
“For too long, organised crime groups have used rogue businesses to launder money, exploit vulnerable workers and undermine local communities.
“I have been raising concerns about these issues for some time, so it is good to see real action being taken. These new powers and extra enforcement will help drive criminal activity off our high streets and support the genuine local businesses that do the right thing and serve our communities well.”
