Officers from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) supported by HMRC, Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing, Immigration Enforcement, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Greater Manchester Police have carried out a month-long operation targeting venues suspected of laundering proceeds from payment diversion fraud and related criminal activity.

This multi-agency effort focused on identifying and disrupting businesses complicit in concealing illicit funds, reinforcing the commitment to tackling organised crime across the region.

Payment diversion fraud (PDF) also known as business email compromise (BEC) or mandate fraud, involves criminals tricking victims into sending payments to fraudulent bank accounts. This is typically done by impersonating legitimate companies or individuals, and by sending fake or altered invoices.

Criminals often use social engineering tactics to manipulate individuals, typically posing as trusted contacts and requesting urgent action. They may claim that bank details have changed or even hack into legitimate email communications to make their requests look genuine

This operation, known as Operation Barton, took place throughout May 2025 and was coordinated by City of London Police’s Lead Force Operations Room (LFOR) and supported by the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC).

The month-long operation included targeted days of enforcement activity which resulted in:

• 2 arrests made
• £120,000 in fines issued
• 6 Cease and Desist Notices served
• 8 point-of-sale (POS) terminals & 5 working tills downloaded / examined by HMRC
• 2 venues found by Immigration employing undocumented workers
• 1 prohibition notice issued by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue

Detective Inspector Tim Farley, from the Economic Crime Unit at the NWROCU said:

“We are pleased with the result of Operation Barton and the clear message it sends to small venues who think they can get away laundering criminal funds.  

“The NWROCU continues to work closely with partners to disrupt those complicit in this type of fraud. Fraud can take many harmful and deceptive forms but, through our combined efforts, we are determined to protect businesses and communities across the North West from this type of fraud.”

Head of Greater Manchester Police Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, Detective Superintendent Andy Buckthorpe said:

“We remain absolutely committed in Greater Manchester to targeting those who facilitate and launder funds generated by fraudulent activity, and seek to financially benefit from crime which is damaging to communities across the city-region.  

“Working collaboratively with partners and the NWROCU will continue, and we will take action against individuals, small businesses and networks who are involved in fraud and money laundering activity across Greater Manchester.

“The last financial year saw us seize, confiscate and forfeit over £17.7 million in criminal funds and our approach to this type of economic crime continues relentlessly.”