Crimestoppers is appealing for the public's help in a bid to tackle money laundering in Wales.

Vast sums of money are made illegally from serious and organised crime, with criminals needing to ‘wash’ or ‘cleanse’ the funds of any links to crime. This enables them to continue unhindered with lavish lifestyles.

The campaign seeks to make the public aware of how this is done and encourage them to report what they see and hear, 100% anonymously.

The key to making our communities safer places to live and work is to prevent criminals from profiting from the pain and misery they cause.

This can be done by giving information completely anonymously to Crimestoppers who can pass on to law enforcement so that action can be taken.

Money made from crime cannot be easily spent or invested without concerns being raised, so criminals often go to elaborate measures to launder their cash. The types of activities include dealing in drugs and counterfeit goods, human trafficking, modern slavery, selling weapons, sexual exploitation and other serious crimes.

It has become increasingly common for criminals to use cash-based businesses such as barber shops, nail bars, pubs, food takeaways, taxi companies, haulage firms, and car washes as fronts. They can also pay others to be ‘money mules’ to transfer funds through their bank accounts or travel abroad with cash. Once ‘washed’, this money is used to fund a lavish lifestyle in the UK or abroad.

Detailed anonymous community intelligence plays a major role in disrupting this serious and organised crime. Crimestoppers has put together some information to prompt the public and encourage them to report what they see or hear.

Some of the tell-tale signs are cash only businesses that appear to have few customers, yet are still trading, shops operating unusual or extended hours, groups frequently gathering in the shop, businesses regularly changing their name and people who regularly travel, with no clear reason for doing so.

Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Criminals like to perpetuate the myth that you shouldn’t ‘grass’. This allows them to continue inflicting damage on our communities and causing suffering to many, whilst they live off the profits of their crimes. Many people have suspicions about those who live a lavish lifestyle, but do not work, or have cash businesses that have few customers yet are still trading.”

Hayley Fry, Wales Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Are there businesses operating locally that are open long hours with few customers? These cash-only business are often a front for criminal gangs. I encourage anyone with information about people orchestrating or carrying out crime across Wales and the North West to contact our charity anonymously, either online or by phone. The only person who will know you have contacted us is you.”

To report crime 100% anonymously, visit our charity’s website Crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in our simple and secure anonymous online form or call our 24/7 UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111.