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\n\t\tMoney has been seized at several barber shops across the UK (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tMoney has been seized at several barber shops across the UK (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Several \u2018Turkish\u2019 barber shops across the UK have been raided by authorities overs fears they could be laundering drug<\/a> money. <\/p>\n The National Crime<\/a> Agency (NCA), which is leading a major investigation, has seized tens of thousands of pounds from shops in several towns and cities over the past month.<\/p>\n As well as money laundering, some are suspected of tax fraud and illegal migrant work<\/a>.<\/p>\n Raids were carried out by the NCA, together with local police officers, immigration enforcement officers and HM Revenue and Customs inspectors<\/p>\n At some shops tax inspectors would reportedly note the number of chairs in use and check if the profits declared by the owners corresponded to customers coming in. <\/p>\n One official who spoke to the Sunday Times<\/a>, said there were streets with several barber shops and all were declaring large takings even though they were often empty.<\/p>\n Last year more than 750 barber shops opened across the UK, according to retail analytics company Green Street.<\/p>\n There are more than 18,000 outlets today, 15% more than there were in 2018.<\/p>\n \t\t The shops targeted in this month\u2019s operation were mainly cash-only.<\/p>\n Although they are generally known as Turkish barber shops, several are run by Albanians and Kurds who have links to criminal gangs.<\/p>\n Alongside raids, the NCA and its partners are also making \u2018friendly\u2019 visits toget more information.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the NCA said: \u2018Intelligence linking the use of barber shops, as well as other cash-intensive businesses, to money laundering and other criminality has risen in recent years.<\/p>\n \u2018To respond to this threat, the NCA has co-ordinated multi-agency law enforcement action targeting barber shops where suspicious activity has been identified, and where there are possible connections to organised crime.<\/p>\n \u2018This has involved a large number of police forces across England and Wales, as well as other partners, including HMRC and the Home Office\u2019s immigration enforcement department.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Barbers in the UK can register as a sole-trader, instead of as a business with Companies House and they can let out chairs to hairdressers, which makes it harder for investigators to find out who is operating legitimately and who isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n One former London barber, Hewa Rehimpur, 31, was arrested in 2022 for trafficking offences.<\/p>\n He had been a key figure in a pan-European smuggling ring that brought as many as 10,000 migrants to the UK on small boats over the channel.<\/p>\n After being extradited to Belgium and standing trial with other gang members he was jailed for 11 years.<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow![\"Blurred](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SEI_245714886-672b.jpg\")
\n\t\tA number of barber shops that often stand empty were reporting large takings, an official said (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: Moment dine-and-dashers speed off with waiter hanging onto their car<\/a><\/p>\n