NEWS
8 ASIAN TRADER 2 MAY 2025
Vape shops, mini marts and
barbershops across England
have been targeted by police
and other law enforcement
ofcers during a three-week
crackdown on high street
crime.
In total, 265 premises were
visited across Operation
Machinize, where ofcers
secured freezing orders over
bank accounts totalling more
than £1 million, executed 84
warrants and made 35 arrests.
The operation saw 55
individuals questioned on
immigration status and 97
safeguarded in relation to
potential slavery.
In addition, ofcers seized
more than £40,000 in cash,
some 200,000 cigarettes,
7,000 packs of tobacco, over
8,000 illegal vapes and two
vehicles. Two cannabis farms
were also found, containing a
total of 150 plants. Ten shops
have been shut, with further
closures expected .
Operation Machinize was
launched by the National
Crime Agency (NCA), with
funding from the Home Ofce
to deal with issues including
organised immigration crime,
money laundering, drugs
supply and the selling of illegal
tobacco products and vapes.
“High street crime
undermines our security, our
borders, and the confidence of
our communities, and I am
determined to take the
decisive action necessary to
bring those responsible to
justice,” security minister Dan
Jarvis said.
“This successful NCA-led
operation highlights the scale
and complexity of the
criminality our towns and
cities face and demonstrates
our collective determination
to make our streets safer, a key
pillar of this government’s
Plan for Change.”
The NCA estimates that
£12bn of criminal cash is
generated in the UK each year,
which is typically smuggled
out of the country or integrat-
ed into the legitimate financial
system using a variety of
laundering techniques.
Vape shops, barbers targeted in ‘Operation Mechinize’
Police launch national
Police launch national
crackdown on high street crime
crackdown on high street crime
Former sub postmistress and
Horizon scandal victim
Seema Misra, who was
wrongly jailed while eight
weeks pregnant, has been
appointed Ofcer of the Order
of the British Empire (OBE).
Seema, who ran a post
ofce in West Byfleet, is one of
four campaigners to receive
an OBE for their services to
justice following the Post
Ofce’s Horizon IT scandal
and their fight towards
exoneration of wrongful
convictions and over compen-
sation delays.
Misra was sentenced
to 15 months in prison in
2010 after being accused
of stealing £74,000.
The plight of Misra
and others was thrust
into the limelight by the
acclaimed 2024 ITV drama Mr
Bates vs The Post Ofce,
which portrayed sub-post-
masters wrongfully pursued
and convicted for stealing in
the most widespread
miscarriage of justice in UK
history.
Named in the New Year’s
Honours list, Misra has
described the OBE as
“empowering our fight for
justice even further”.
At the time when the
honour was announced,
Misra told Asian Trader, Misra
that she hoped the recogni-
tion would “give more weight
to the fight” to help her
fellow scandal victims.
Exonerated Seema Misra
collects OBE
Arla Foods and DMK
Arla Foods and DMK
Group to merge
Group to merge
Arla Foods and DMK Group have
announced their intention to merge,
creating the strongest dairy
cooperative in Europe.
The merger would bring together
more than 12,000 farmers and the
companies aim to become one joint
cooperative that will achieve a
combined pro forma revenue of €19
billion. “The strength of both Arla and
DMK Group lies in our shared
commitment to quality and innova-
tion, and I see DMK Group as the
perfect partner in shaping a new and
strengthened Arla,” Jan Toft
Nørgaard, chair of Arla Foods, said.
Müller acquires leading
Müller acquires leading
kefir brand
kefir brand
Dairy giant Müller UK & Ireland has
reached an agreement to acquire the
Biotiful Gut Health business.
Biotiful Gut Health is the leading
kefir brand in the UK which produces
a wide range of kefir and other
natural gut health products.
Functional health represents the
largest part of the health segment, an
area that Müller is not currently active
in.
Founded in 2012, Biotiful Gut
Health is an award-winning business,
and the acquisition represents an
exciting opportunity for the dairy
company.
Biotiful will continue to operate as
usual.
Welsh gin and honey get
Welsh gin and honey get
protected status
protected status
Welsh gin, oysters and honey are to
join the list of food and drink
products granted protected
geographical indication (PGI) status
under the UK’s Geographical
Indication schemes.
Dovey Native Botanical Gin,
Pembrokeshire Native Oysters,
Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters and
Welsh Heather Honey/Mêl Grug
Cymru have been formally recog-
nised for their distinctive qualities
and regional heritage, ensuring only
authentic items meeting strict
production standards and geograph-
ical requirements can be marketed
under these protected names.
They are the first UK gin and
honey to be given protected status.