WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has called on local people to be vigilant following the rise of high street businesses which may be fronts for organised crime.
The MP has met with the local policing team and West Mercia’s deputy Police and Crime Commissioner to share local people’s concerns with the sudden rise in barbers’ shops, nail bars and vape stores in the county.
Dame Harriett urged local people to think twice about using such shops and to report anything that they see that may suggest illegal behaviour including modern slavery offences.
West Mercia Police is committed to investigating suspicious businesses, where it has evidence, and Marc Bayliss met with Dame Harriett in Westminster to discuss her concerns.
Dame Harriett said: “I’ve had constituents contact me about the sudden rise of suspicious-looking shops and we’ve all seen the reports of raids in other parts of the country which has shown evidence of money laundering, illegal goods and even people being made to work against their will.
“This is a worrying trend, and I have passed on my concerns both the Police and Crime Commissioner’s team and also the local police teams and the advice is that they all need clear evidence to intervene.
“People are encouraged to share their concerns on the West Mercia Police website or by ringing 101 and I hope that we are all able to halt this scourge before it swamps our high streets.”
