Crimestoppers
Fearless - our youth service
Targeting money laundering in the South West
Criminals are making vast amounts of money illegally from serious and organised crime, and need to ‘wash’ this so that they can fund their lavish lifestyles.
So we've launched a major campaign to target this money laundering. We're encouraging members of the public to learn how this is done, discover the signs to spot, and to pass on what they see and hear to Crimestoppers - 100% anonymously.
Call free on 0800 555 111 or go to our online form, here on our website:
What is money laundering, and how is it carried out?
Money made by criminals from drug dealing, counterfeit goods, human trafficking, modern slavery, selling weapons, sexual exploitation and other serious crimes cannot be easily spent or invested without concerns being raised, so criminals often go to elaborate measures to launder their money.
This is often done by using cash businesses as 'fronts', such as barber shops that may possibly be open long hours with very little custom. Nail bars, pubs, food takeaways, taxi companies, haulage firms and car washes are other businesses that can be involved.
Sometimes legal, financial and property professionals enable money laundering - either knowingly or unwittingly.
The criminals also draw young people into their crimes by persuading or paying them to use their bank account to launder the money, or to travel abroad with the dirty money. Once ‘washed’, this money is then able to be used to fund a lavish lifestyle in the UK or abroad.
What are the signs to spot?
The key to making our communities safer places to live and work is to prevent criminals from profiting from the pain and misery they cause.
- Cash-only businesses that appear to have few customers yet are still trading
- Shops operating unusual or extended hours
- The same employees always being present
- Groups of people frequently gathering at a shop without customers
- People regularly using notes of high denomination values
- Businesses that regularly change either name, or type.
- Those with unidentified wealth/no legitimate income
- People who regularly travel, with no clear reason for doing so
- Loan sharks
- People who are regularly purchasing high value/luxury items
- People who use other people’s bank accounts to regularly move large amounts of money
- Those who look to use other people to hold and move money between accounts
- People storing large amounts of cash/assets
Beth Simpson, Crimestoppers' South Central West Regional Manager, said:
“Criminals like to perpetuate the myth that you shouldn’t 'grass'. This allows them to continue inflicting damage to our communities and suffering to many, whilst living off the profits of their crimes.
“Many people have suspicions of those who live a lavish lifestyle, but do not work, or of cash businesses that have few customers yet are still trading.”
Karen McDonald, Crimestoppers' South West Regional Manager, said:
“Are there business operating locally that are open long hours with few customers? These cash-only business can be a front for criminal gangs. I encourage anyone who has information about those orchestrating or carrying out crime across the South West to contact our charity anonymously, either online or by phone.
"The only person who will know you have contacted us is you."
Speak up. Stay safe. Stop crime.
Got information? Call free on 0800 555 111 or go to our online form, here on our website:
