New £30m High Street Crime Unit Launches to Combat Gangs

The UK government announced a £30 million High Street organized crime unit to target illegal activities linked to shops, following a BBC investigation. The National Crime Agency (NCA) will receive £20 million of the funding and allocate 75 new police officers to key regions including Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Essex, and Kent. The government estimates that £1 billion of criminal cash is laundered annually through High Street stores. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood highlighted plans for extensive law enforcement actions, including shop raids and extended closure orders for criminal businesses.