UK government launches £500m Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Strategy with 500 new enforcement officers

The Home Office and HM Treasury published the UK's new Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Strategy on 15 September 2026, backed by £500 million of investment over three years drawn from the economic crime levy. The centrepiece is the recruitment of 500 new officers across police forces, the National Crime Agency (NCA), and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to trace, seize, and recover criminal assets. The strategy targets the kingpins behind organised crime networks, with a specific focus on Russian money laundering networks operating across the UK and overseas. The NCA will build on Operation Destabilise, which resulted in 119 arrests and seizures of over £25 million in cash and cryptocurrency in under 12 months. The Serious Fraud Office reported securing £15.4 million through judicial outcomes since April 2026 as part of its contribution. The government simultaneously released figures showing almost £350 million of criminal assets stripped in a year-long crackdown, with over £1 billion denied to criminals, 2,700 illicit finance operations disrupted, and money laundering convictions rising to almost 4,000. Around £26 million was returned to victims. The NCA estimates that more than £100 billion is laundered through the UK or UK corporate structures annually. The strategy commits to modernising the UK's response through new intelligence capabilities, advanced technology, and stronger public-private collaboration. It also flags the growing threat from fintech, crypto, and AI as tools for criminal exploitation. Reforms to closure orders targeting rogue high-street businesses form part of the accompanying domestic enforcement package.

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