GLOUCESTERSHIRE Constabulary was one of 19 police forces in England that assisted with Operation Machinize, which targeted businesses with criminal dealings.

Barbershops and other businesses across England were targeted by police during a three-week crackdown on high street crime.

In total, 265 premises were visited where officers secured freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1m. 84 warrants were issued and 35 arrests made. 55 individuals were questioned about their immigration status and a further 97 safeguarded for potential modern slavery.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: “High street crime undermines our security, our borders, and the confidence of our communities, and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to bring those responsible to justice.

“This successful NCA-led operation highlights the scale and complexity of the criminality our towns and cities face and demonstrates our collective determination to make our streets safer, a key pillar of this government’s Plan for Change.

“We will continue to support the NCA, and other law enforcement partners, as we make the UK an even more hostile environment for organised crime.”

Officers also seized more than £40,000 in cash, around 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles. Two cannabis farms were also found, containing a total of 150 plants. Ten shops were shut, with further closures expected.

Rachael Herbert, Deputy Director of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA, said: “The excellent results from the first iteration of Operation Machinize are testament to the tireless work of officers across the country, and demonstrate our resolve to clamp down on organised criminality abusing the high street.”

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said businesses like barbershops, vape shops, nail bars and car washes are often used by criminals to conceal the origins of cash.