Police visited multiple businesses across the Thames Valley as part of the activity

Thames Valley Police made six arrests last month and seized cash, illegally prescribed medication and counterfeit goods as part of a focus on criminality in cash-based businesses across the force's area.

During October, police said they visited multiple businesses across Buckinghamshire, as well as Oxfordshire and Berkshire, which were identified using intelligence.

The activity resulted in six arrests as well as the seizure of goods including tobacco, single-use vapes, cash, illegally supplied prescription medication, electronic goods, alcohol and other counterfeit and duty-unpaid goods.

Working alongside local neighbourhood policing teams, Trading Standards, HMRC and Immigration Enforcement, police issued formal notices for fire safety concerns, and formal warnings for trademark offences.

Speaking following the operation the force's head of community policing command Superintendent John Batty said: "Working alongside our partners, neighbourhood policing teams carried out activity across the Thames Valley at businesses suspected of being used to facilitate money laundering and other criminality.

"This operation resulted in arrests, the seizure of a significant quantity of illicit goods and cash, and enforcement action being taken where offences and other concerns were identified.

"The vast majority of businesses across Thames Valley operate lawfully and make a valuable contribution to our communities.

“Our aim is to protect those legitimate businesses while disrupting criminals who seek to exploit cash-intensive premises to conceal unlawful activity.

"We will continue to use intelligence-led activity, alongside our partners, to disrupt and bring to justice those involved in money laundering, the sale of illegal and counterfeit goods and other criminal activity."