Barbershops visited across Bolton as police look at ‘cash-rich’ businesses
The shops were visited across Derby Street and St Helens Road in Daubhill, as well as Windsor Way and Bury Road in Breightmet, as part of “Operation Machinize” on Tuesday, October 28.
This is an ongoing operation led by the National Crime Agency, looking at money laundering and other offences linked to cash-rich businesses on the high street.
Inspector James Astbury said: “We’re looking at immigration offences, we’re looking at health and safety offences, we’re looking at anything, basically, that may cause harm to the public.”
He added: “It’s all about neighbourhood officers really knowing their areas, receiving intelligence and then acting on it.
Officers have been looking at barbershops across Bolton (Image: Newsquest)
“If people are going to provide us with information, they we’ve got to show we’re going something with it.”
Inspector Astbury said that intelligence about suspect businesses could come from neighbourhood officers and from partners like Bolton Council and other agencies.
But information from members of the public, who had been in touch with them directly or through agencies like Crimestoppers, could prove to be especially crucial.
Police took part with immigration officials (Image: Newsquest)
The day began with a briefing delivered by Sergeant Olly Cooper at Bolton Police Station on Scholey Street.
This was delivered to police officers, Bolton Council enforcement officers and immigration officials.
Sergeant Cooper said: “Everyone is here to do their job, but to do it as part of a team.”
Officers taking part in the operation (Image: Newsquest)
As the officers visited barbershops across Daubhill, Breightmet and Astley Bridge, no arrests were mad,e but several shopkeepers were spoken to about health and safety issues.
Council enforcement officers had been there to check on health and safety arrangements at the shops while immigration officers were there for document checks.
Inspector Astbury said: “Today we’ve not really seen criminal activity, but we’ve seen health and safety issues where to put it bluntly, hygiene was below standards.”
Police officers, council officials and immigration officers were all involved (Image: Newsquest)
But he said that there would be further operations initiatives still to take place, which would be vital to tackling the roots of organised crime in Bolton and other areas.
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These will include the police as well as partners like trading standards officers, environmental officers, immigration official and HMRC.
Inspector Astbury said it was key to remember what kinds of things organised crime funded, which led to “more violent crime”.
He said: “It’s something we need to nip in the bud, if we don’t it spirals, one shop becomes three.”
He added: “Because unless we do something about it, we could see an organised crime gang taking over a whole area.”
Source – INDIA TV
