UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has arrested 349 people in a nationwide crackdown on businesses suspected of laundering criminal proceeds. During October, police inspected or raided 3,029 premises, including barbershops and vape stores. Officers seized about $2.9 million in cash and secured court orders to freeze another $4.9 million in bank accounts. Authorities also identified or prevented an estimated $5.5 million linked to tax evasion and seized illicit goods worth nearly $9 million. The operation was the latest phase of Operation Machinize, a campaign targeting businesses used to conceal criminal profits. An earlier phase of the crackdown led to more than 900 arrests and inspections of over 2,700 businesses. The NCA said the campaign is increasingly aimed at identifying the criminal networks behind the businesses, rather than focusing only on individual premises. It estimates that at least $1.3 billion in criminal proceeds is laundered through such businesses in the UK every year. The arrests were made during the October phase of the operation, part of an ongoing national campaign.