The UK will deploy 500 additional officers across police forces, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to trace illicit funds, disrupt organised crime networks and seize criminal assets. Backed by £500 million over three years from the economic crime levy, the Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Strategy aims to make it harder for criminals to hide, move or profit from crime, including through Russian and other international laundering networks. The government said a year-long crackdown stripped almost £350 million from criminals, denied them more than £1 billion, returned £26 million to victims, disrupted 2,700 illicit-finance operations and helped increase money-laundering convictions to almost 4,000. Almost £1 million was taken from people smugglers and immigration offenders. The NCA estimates that more than £100 billion is laundered through the UK or UK corporate structures each year, with fintech, crypto and artificial intelligence increasing the threat. The strategy builds on Operation Destabilise, in which 119 suspected money launderers were arrested and more than £25 million in cash and crypto was seized in less than 12 months. The operation targeted Russian-speaking networks that exchanged street cash for cryptocurrency. It also supports action against high-street businesses allegedly used as fronts for organised crime, including vape shops, mini-marts and barbers. Officials and representatives from enforcement, retail, trading standards, community groups and academia said stronger financial investigations, international cooperation and public-private intelligence sharing are needed to weaken criminal networks and protect communities.