UK police raid Turkish barber shops in money laundering ops
LONDON
British law enforcement has orchestrated a sweeping crackdown on Turkish barber establishments purportedly linked to money laundering, tax evasion and the employment of undocumented migrants, the British media has reported.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has, over the past month, identified numerous Turkish barber shops across the country as potential fronts for illicit financial transactions, tax fraud and the employment of illegal migrants.
In response, a series of coordinated raids have been executed this week, leading to multiple arrests and the confiscation of tens of thousands of pounds in cash.
In the northeast of England, tax inspectors were conducting covert surveillance, meticulously tallying the number of barber chairs and monitoring customer footfall to ascertain whether the declared earnings of these establishments aligned with their actual business activity.
According to investigative reports from The Daily Mail and The Sunday Times, certain streets host a conspicuous concentration of Turkish barber shops — many of which, despite appearing largely vacant throughout the day, officially declare substantial revenues.
"There are half a dozen barber shops on the same street, all reporting high earnings, yet they remain conspicuously empty for most of the day. Such anomalies invariably raise suspicion," a police source remarked.
Data from the retail analytics firm Green Street indicated that the number of barber shops in the U.K. has surged by over 50 percent since 2018, reaching 18,411 establishments. Notably, 750 new barber shops opened just last year.
The term "Turkish barber" traditionally refers to establishments offering straight-razor shaves and hot towel treatments — a grooming style originating from Türkiye.
While the vast majority of these businesses operate within legal bounds, some are alleged to serve as conduits for organized crime syndicates.
Interestingly, despite branding themselves as “Turkish barbers,” many of these establishments, initially pioneered by Turkish entrepreneurs, are now owned by people from other Middle Eastern or Balkan countries.
Prior to last July’s general election, Richard Tice, leader of the far-right Reform U.K. party, stoked anti-immigrant rhetoric by alleging that Turkish barber shops were systematically engaged in money laundering schemes.
