Turkish barber shops crackdown: Police raid dozens of businesses run as a front for money laundering

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14563135/Turkish-barber-shops-police-crackdown-Cops-raid-dozens.html

    Posted by ParkedUpWithCoffee

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    27 Comments

    1. Careless_Agency5365 on

      If only they could get rid of those unsightly American candy shops and the high streets with 12 chicken shops.

    2. The general public know they’re a front

      The police know they’re a front

      Why are they allowed to open in the first place? I would say maybe 1/10 might be a legit business? Please get the candy shops and the vape shops next.

    3. Rough_Shelter4136 on

      So you’re telling me that the some of the only surviving parts of most high streets are money laundering fronts?

      _im_shocked_shocked.gif_

    4. God damnit labour.

      Won’t you leave anything standing?

      All these years I ‘ve been getting my £5 haircut and £3.99 chicken burger before hitting the American candy shop for some Reece’s on the way to get my nails done with no problems.

      The UK has truly fallen 🙁

    5. Rough_Shelter4136 on

      So you’re telling me that the some of the only surviving parts of most high streets are money laundering fronts?

      _im_shocked_shocked.gif_

    6. LowCranberry180 on

      Let’s call these ‘Turkish style barber shops’ as most of them are not owned by Turkish people. I understand it is easy to bash the Turks compared to other ethnicities (Turkish barber, Turkey teeth, Mongol etc.) but let’s not be divisive.

    7. BoredomThenFear on

      What, you’re telling me that the people on Reddit who say that these actually aren’t involved in illegal activities and that anyone who says that is racist are actually wrong? :0

      At least something is finally being done. Now please do car washes, nail bars, European supermarkets, and vape shops.

    8. Ajax_Trees_Again on

      Another thing the tories chose not to do because ultimately it doesn’t stop them funnelling public money to their pals

    9. Shock horror. Another no news, news. What about all the cash only chinease takeaways too….?

    10. Are the police reading Reddit now? I swear I saw 100 posts about this over the last week

    11. anoolfishha88 on

      vape shops next please, we don’t need 9 on the same row that manage to stay open despite never having customers

    12. Firm-Pass2033 on

      Real shame but the High st in Oxford from Gloucester St bus station onwards is a derelict shithole. 2 big dessert shops in Headington that are always empty and cash only Turkish barber shops. The whole city is a mess.

    13. darthbawlsjj on

      But I was told by this sub these barbers and vape shops aren’t fronts for anything nefarious?

      Strange.

    14. Well my local Turkish barbers must have missed the memo as they are always full, sometimes with a queue.
      As for the local chicken shop that I would barely be able to afford the electricity bill, let alone rent or wages, are another story.

    15. With extortionate rates only criminal enterprises are able to operate. They pay tax and council turns a blind eye.

    16. IgotAseaView on

      Huhhhhh? This was supposed to be a conspiracy and it was racist to claim otherwise. We did it Reddit

    17. Agreeable_Falcon1044 on

      Our small high street of 16 shops has 5 of these. With two also boarded up, that means nearly half the high street is Turkish barbers that don’t appear to have any customers. We don’t even have that much of a Turkish community around here

    18. No-Translator5443 on

      Town near me has a Turkish barber that offers ladies hair removal sounds a bit weird idk if anyone else has seen one offering that

    19. boringman1982 on

      There’s a row of shops near me with ten shops and four of them are Turkish barbers and they are all always empty but never close down.

    20. DaveyBeefcake on

      I always love it when you see the luxury cars that are worth more than the businesses they are parked outside of. Must sell a lot of vape juice or takeaways to afford that.

    21. FatherJack_Hackett on

      I do think people are confusing the quantity of vape and barber shops on a high street, that they both must be tarnished with the illicit activity brush.

      Barbers being a strictly cash business, is a massive red flag for a money laundering operation.

      Vape shops, whilst annoyingly duplicated in large numbers across many a high street, don’t quite fall into the same category.

      The markup on vaping products is huge. It’s an easy business (for now) to make a quick buck, whilst “helping” those suppress their cigarette smoking needs. It’s an easy sell.

      But just because they are as equal as an eyesore to see as a barber shop, sadly doesn’t make them illicit. I’ve yet to be in one that doesn’t take card payments. Then again, there are a few that sell weed bags and all non-illegal drug paraphernalia. Not a great look, admittedly. But I’d be shocked if vape shops were an obvious money launderer, as barber shops are.

    22. I live in a village where there’s around 5000 residents.
      There’s several beauticians, barbers, take aways etc to cover the area. Most are clearly a front as they are hardly ever busy. Even during peak days. There’s some who have been here for decades and are legit but the others aren’t.

      Issue is how can the police prove it? They don’t have the man power or time to do it. So while they aren’t hurting anyone directly, the police let it slide. That’s how I see it.

    23. InquisitorFemboy on

      My local barber must be money laundering, because no one in that shop can cut hair.