Doncaster: Nine arrested after raids on unregulated car washes

Police said unregulated car washes can have links to organised crime groups

Nine men have been arrested as part of a police operation to tackle exploitation at unregulated car washes in Doncaster.

South Yorkshire Police said such businesses can be linked to organised crime groups and immigration offences.

During Operation Bubbles officers also found signs workers were being underpaid and living in poor conditions.

The arrested men were detained on suspicion of immigration offences.

Det Ch Insp Anna Sedgwick said: "Hand car washes can prove to be a popular business model, but unfortunately we know that unregulated establishments can be linked to wider organised crime groups (OCGs)."

She said officers had gone through safeguarding forms with workers at the sites after spotting signs which could point to exploitation.

"They were being underpaid and they were working in inappropriate conditions, and it was important for us and our partners to make the workers aware of this," she said.

Police said there were signs some workers were being underpaid and living in "inappropriate conditions"

The visits to nine car washes were carried out in collaboration with the Immigration Service, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Environment Agency (EA).

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Organised Crime Unit also took part.

Det Ch Insp Sedgwick said the raids had also triggered investigations by other agencies including the DWP, HMRC and the EA.

She also warned businesses with links to organised crime groups the force would turn up unannounced and do spot checks.

A wider police operation in the city also saw a further six arrests relating to drugs and offensive weapons offences and burglary.

There were also 60 speeding offences recorded, five legal notices served for tenancy breaches, 19 untaxed vehicles spotted and illegal vapes recovered.

Drugs and weapons were also seized and stolen vehicles recovered, the force said.