COPS SHUT UP SHOPS

Police raid over 100 stores in tax evasion and fake goods blitz Sting on Scots outlets comes amid organised crime gang fears

- BY MARK McGIVERN

A BLITZ on money laundering, tax evasion and fake goods has led to more than 100 Scottish shops being raided by police and other agencies.

The sting, named Operation Machinize by officers, has come amid fears small shops across the country are being used as a front for organised crime groups.

Police Scotland joined forces with the Home Office, HMRC, DWP and Trading Standards for the crackdown.

Officers visited shops they believe may be operating on a cash-only basis to conceal tax evasion and other crimes.

The crackdown hit the streets in Glasgow yesterday as part of a hush-hush month of action during October that has seen cities and towns from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, Stirling and Dumfries targeted.

Detective Inspector Jason Nicol, of Police Scotland's serious and organised crime investigations, said: "This is a UK-wide operation into serious and organised crime, money laundering, targeting shops that would use cash, vape shops, barber shops, hairdressers, car washes.

"Some of these operations use vulnerable people as staff and we're looking to disrupt that.

"It was a multi-agency approach, gathering intelligence, looking at those premises that would be involved in this sort of criminality.

"This is the kind of crime that is happening in plain sight. It's happening on the high streets.

"They are attacking vulnerable people and we're looking to disrupt them."

DI Nicol said the operation would examine the various ways organised crime groups will launder funds back into communities.