Corporate report

Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC): end of year report 2025 to 2026

Published 29 July 2026

The Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) is a multi-agency taskforce. It works in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime in the UK waste industry. For more information on our terms of reference, role and scope, membership and meeting dates see our JUWC group page.

Executive summary

This report outlines the Joint Unit for Waste Crime’s (JUWC’s) work in the financial year of 2025 to 2026. This work is focused on the JUWC’s mission to disrupt serious and organised waste crime in the UK waste industry.

 The report provides information on:

• performance results and enforcement outcomes achieved through strong partnership working
• how activities align with the 4 priorities: Prepare, Prevent, Protect, and Pursue, guiding coordinated action across the UK
• operational activity, including joint enforcement operations, multi-agency days of action, and targeted disruption of organised crime groups
• demand pressures, showing increased focus on high-risk organised crime groups and evolving criminal methods within the waste sector
• a strategic overview outlining the wider context, including growing public, political, and media attention and strengthened cross-government collaboration
• communications information

Performance dashboard

The JUWC performance dashboard from 2025 to 2026 was:

• 23 operations led
• 38 additional operations supported
• 59 days of action organised, attended, or both, which resulted in:
  • 13 arrests by partners
  • 8 vehicles seized by the JUWC or partners
• 17 interviews under caution conducted
• 111 disruptions delivered

These statistics are collected from the work of the 14 full-time crime officers employed by the Environment Agency, not the results of the broader partnership.

(Note: the JUWC does not have arrest powers, the arrests are made by partners who take the lead through to outcome.)

Meeting our priorities

The JUWC priorities, Prepare, Prevent, Protect and Pursue were developed using the 4P model, and are set out in the Business Plan. These priorities guide the work of the JUWC to tackle crime in the UK waste industry, and performance can be measured against them.

Examples of work carried out in line with JUWC priorities:

Prepare

• in March, the JUWC hosted a practitioners conference bringing together partners from 12 organisations across the UK. The conference enabled partners to share knowledge and best practise for tackling waste crime, while also providing a learning opportunity around each agency’s enforcement tools and capabilities. Partnership working is vital in the fight against waste crime, with learning from events like these helping to advance our enforcement work
• through the JUWC’s enforcement partner, British Transport Police, training on the Scrap Metal Dealers Act has now been delivered to over 4,000 enforcement officers across the UK
• this year the JUWC worked on the enhancement of its relationships with the police Regional Organised Crime Units, who are a key ally in the fight against serious and organised crime
• in February, 2 of the JUWC crime officers completed training to become drone pilots. This provides the JUWC with further technical capability for identifying illegal waste sites and gathering intelligence and evidence

Prevent

• the JUWC participated in 10 road stops with partners this year. This plays an important role in preventing and disrupting waste criminals by checking vehicles carrying waste are operating legally and carrying out enforcement actions against those who are not
• the JUWC prevented a company that was disposing of waste illegally from advertising their services to the public. This was actioned by taking down 2 domain names of their websites, informing their customers that the company is an illegal waste operator and removing their advertising signs from local roundabouts
• as an upstream intervention, the JUWC uses its social media channels to highlight useful due diligence resources for the public. In these posts a link to the register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers is shared with a reminder that before employing someone to deal with your waste you should check they are registered to do so. Useful resources for the public are also highlighted on the JUWC GOV.UK page
• the JUWC works closely with the police, Environment Agency, and the British Transport Police’s Economic Crime Units to target illicit finance. This has been instrumental in the reduction of illegal activities linked to mapped organised crime groups (OCGs)

Protect

• this year the JUWC utilised its powers to seize vehicles under Section 34B Environmental Protection Act 1990 (breach of duty of care or an illegal deposit of waste, or both). This creates a financial disruption for waste carriers operating illegally and protects communities and the environment from the immediate effects of their waste criminality
• innovative interventions including technology such as drones have been used to detect illegal waste sites early on
• the JUWC supported the police to acquire a successful closure order issued by Crown Court for 3 months at an illegal waste site linked to a JUWC criminal investigation
• the JUWC supported Environment Agency Area Environmental Crime Teams in obtaining a restriction order on a large-scale illegal waste site

Pursue

• this year the JUWC led 23 operations and supported an additional 38 operations
• there are 21 criminal and civil investigations and 2 major crime investigations linked to JUWC operations
• there are a number of prosecutions currently being considered as a result of JUWC Operations
• the JUWC coordinates with Environment Agency Area Environmental Crime Teams and Regulatory Compliance Teams to ensure pressure is maintained at sites linked to our operations

Operational activity

This section of the report provides examples of the operational activity the JUWC crime officers have taken part in throughout the year. This includes case studies from operations the JUWC has led, with operations being defined as the targeting and management of the risks of OCGs and priority individuals (PIs). Along with results from multi-agency days of action the officers have organised and taken part in.

Case study: Operation ‘A’

Operation ‘A’ was a JUWC investigation targeting a significant and long-standing illegal waste operation. The site was operating as an unlawful landfill, scrap metal dealer, and waste transfer station. It had been designated a high-risk, ‘red card’ hostile site and had presented ongoing challenges to the Environment Agency for over a decade prior to JUWC involvement.

The site was controlled by a family with a well-documented history of criminality and known associations with police. In addition to waste offences, broader criminal activity was identified.

JUWC adopted a strategy focused on disrupting the group’s business model rather than relying solely on conventional enforcement. Through coordinated overt and covert operations, sufficient evidence was developed and shared with partner agencies to enable targeted action.

Outcomes included:

• the seizure and destruction of 23 heavy goods vehicles using Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and police powers
• a restriction order preventing access to the site, enforced through a sustained multi-agency presence
• a 3-week joint police operation maintaining a physical presence at the site entrance

Working in partnership with police, JUWC supported the successful application for a closure order under anti-social behaviour legislation. This resulted in the family being removed from their residential property located on-site.

Following the declaration of bankruptcy of the operating companies, JUWC collaborated with the Insolvency Service to recover assets. This included the seizure of land transferred between family members, eviction from the residential property, and the subsequent sale of the land and the house.

This operation demonstrates a highly effective multi-agency approach, combining regulatory, criminal, and financial powers to achieve a long-term resolution to a complex and entrenched problem.

Main outcomes:

• prosecution files submitted
• recovery of proceeds from the destruction of skips and vehicles
• repossession and sale of residential property associated with criminal activity
• ongoing consideration of Section 22 Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA)
• joint working with HMRC to recover a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan obtained by a company prevented from dissolution

Offences identified:

• operating a regulated facility without the required environmental permit, contrary to Sections 12 and 38 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
• depositing, disposing of, and transporting controlled waste unlawfully, contrary to Sections 33(1)(a), 33(1)(c), 33(5), and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990

 Agencies involved:

• Joint Unit for Waste Crime
• Environment Agency
• Police
• Fire and Rescue Service
• Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
• Borough Council
• County Council
• Insolvency Service
• HMRC
• RSPCA
• Defra

Major organised crime group (OCG) disruption

In January 2026, officers from the JUWC and the Environment Agency Lincs and Northants Enforcement Team joined a multi-agency day of action led by Lincolnshire Police. The purpose of the day was to disrupt organised criminal activity at 2 addresses in South Lincolnshire.

Environment Agency officers identified 2 illegal waste sites containing household waste, construction waste and evidence of burning. Potential waste carriers’ breaches were also identified.

In addition to Environment Agency waste offences, 2 arrests were made in connection with the police investigation. Police officers also seized stolen vehicles, stolen copper cables and located 2 cannabis grows.

Partners assisting with the enforcement were:

• Lincolnshire Police
• Environment Agency
• HMRC
• Lincolnshire County Council Planning Enforcement
• East Midland Special Operations Crime Unit

Photograph showing 2 JUWC officers standing in front of a large pile of waste in a field.

Road stops

The JUWC coordinates multi-agency resources to target the criminal use of the UK road network. This includes spontaneous deployments with police partners and pre-planned targeted operations at strategic locations.

Road stops on the Scottish borders

In February 2026, the JUWC joined partners in conducting road stops on the Scottish borders, checking vehicles carrying waste into and out of Scotland.

Partners involved:

• Highways England
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Police

Photograph showing a police car in the foreground with randomly selected waste carrying vehicles stopped during the day of action in the background.

Multi-agency day of action in Kent

In December 2025, the JUWC took part in a multi-agency day of action in Kent with:

• Environment Agency
• Kent Police
• DVSA
• Swale Borough Council

Results from the day of action:

• 14 vehicles stopped
• 1 arrest
• 1 fixed penalty notice
• a number of drivers who are now under investigation

The day was part of a series of road stops taking place to maintain pressure on waste criminals in the area.

Photograph showing police, DVSA, JUWC and Environment Agency officers stood behind a police car facing a road.

Arrest and vehicle seizure in relation to multiple sites of large-scale waste dumping

The JUWC joined forces with Lancashire Police south rural taskforce and the National Crime Agency in December to arrest a man and seize a vehicle. This was in relation to multiple sites of large-scale waste dumping on roadsides and lay-bys. The vehicle suspected to have been used during the offences has been seized by the JUWC and a prosecution is pending.

Photograph of a police officer stood in front of a police car with lorries and another officer in the background.

Reduction in organised crime group (OCG) and priority individual (PI) risk profiling

In line with other enforcement agencies, the JUWC utilises a variety of techniques and tactics to stop waste criminality from taking place. This includes a focus on disruption activities to reduce the risk profiling of OCGs and PIs. While prosecutions are a powerful tool, without disruptions, those operating illegally could do so for a large timescale before cases are heard in court. This disruption activity focuses on making it physically and financially impossible for the criminality to continue, protecting communities, the environment and legitimate businesses.

Operation ‘B’ was an OCG involved in illegal waste sites, unpermitted waste companies and illegal dumping of waste. Due to successful disruptions by the JUWC the mapped OCG risk score dropped. The OCG is now recorded as dismantled, as the nominals are no longer working together in serious and organised crime.

Disruption activities:

• deregistration of waste carriers’ licenses
• forensic marking of waste
• seizure of vehicles by the JUWC or partners
• working with police to target individual committing other criminal offences, resulting in prison sentences
• working with Environment Agency, HMRC, police (including Rural Crime Teams), local authorities and councils and planning departments, to utilise their powers and legislation

Operation ‘C’ was an investigation into a priority individual (PI) that operated permitted waste sites across England. The individual was involved in fraud and money laundering linked to waste companies. Through effective JUWC disruptions and intervention, the priority individual risk profiling score dropped, and they are no longer involved in the waste industry.

Disruption activities included:

• account freezing order obtained for £600,000 by collaboration with police and Environment Agency Economic Crime Units
• refusal of Packaging Recovery Notes (PRN) accreditations
• permit suspensions and enforcement
• removal of waste exemptions for multiple companies across multiple sites
• referrals to partner agencies for investigation, such as HMRC

Responding to demand

The JUWC’s focus is on the OCGs within the waste industry who pose the greatest risk. OCGs are increasingly operating like legitimate waste businesses. They demonstrate levels of adaptability as they seek to establish and control illicit markets while also gaining influence within legitimate business. Over the period of this JUWC business plan cycle the demand to target mapped OCG groups has increased. This demand has been serviced by the resourcing in place during the period, alongside delivering against all 4 priority areas within the business plan.

Strategic overview

Waste crime rightly continues to attract significant public and media attention, and the protection of the environment remains a political priority.

Large scale illegal waste dumping has been highlighted in the media and through scrutiny processes including the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee. This has provided an opportunity for a strategic re-focus and review by many agencies who are included in the fight against the offending.

This has created further opportunities for collaboration, working collectively across government departments and industry. There has been a focus on developing responses to waste crime, learning and knowledge, and improvement to enable greater capabilities to prevent and detect crime. An example of this enhanced collaboration was the Organised Criminal Waste Dumping Summit. This was hosted by police and crime commissioners across the South East of England and supported by the JUWC.

The JUWC will continue to be at the centre of the development of these strategic plans providing support, guidance and coordination across the UK.

Communications

House of Lords inquiry

In September the JUWC Manager spoke at The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee inquiry into serious and organised waste crime.

Topics discussed included:

• partnership working
• the sharing and utilisation of different agencies enforcement powers
• disrupting the organised crime groups involved in waste crime

The committee produced several findings and recommendations that are being considered by the Secretary of State, ministers, Defra and other supporting government agencies. Some of the findings link closely to the work of the JUWC. The JUWC continues to work with all those government departments and agencies to develop and improve where necessary the response to waste crime.

The JUWC continues to be of significant focus, interest and scrutiny of government, individual ministers, the media, industry and the public.

Social media

LinkedIn insights for 2025 to 2026:

• followers: 931
• impressions: 23,023
• reactions: 442

X insights for 2025 to 2026:

• followers: 696
• impressions: 3,529
• reactions: 25

People and recruitment

This year the JUWC received funding to recruit an additional 8 members of staff. This takes the total number of full-time staff working in the JUWC from 10 to 18. Following a competitive recruitment process, all the additional staff were in post from March 2026. This increase in resource of experienced Environment Agency enforcement and investigation officers and ex-police officers brings an additional wealth of crime-fighting knowledge and tactics. In addition, the JUWC also has 2 embedded intelligence officers from HMRC, who improve information sharing between partners.

The increase in capacity will provide:

• increased JUWC geographical coverage
• single point of ownership for all current and future mapped Environment Agency mapped OCG’s and priority individuals
• increased capacity to assist and advise on ‘serious’ and ‘significant’ investigations that involve mapped OCG’s
• increased capacity to plan, coordinate and deploy to pro-active operations and disruption activities, supporting across the partnership
• ability to internally surge JUWC resource to reduce timescales for interventions and investigations
• enhanced capability to brief, inform, educate and assist other partnership resources who may encounter OCG members as part of their regulatory or compliance roles
• increased partner and community confidence in JUWC ability to impact upon OCG activity
• increased capabilities and consistency for waste crime engagement with public, partners and industry
• fast track development to further enhance links into national, regional and local policing including police and crime commissioners
• increased ability to work alongside economic crime teams looking for intervention opportunities, including the potential for asset and illicit finance seizure

Reporting waste crime

If you have any information about illegal activity in the waste sector, we encourage you to report it. You can report to Crimestoppers: Giving information anonymously.

You can also anonymously report serious concerns about your employer if you suspect wrongdoing in an area we regulate.

England and Scotland

In England or Scotland, you can contact the Environment Agency or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency incident hotline number on 0800 80 70 60 (24-hour service).

Wales

In Wales, contact Natural Resources Wales on 0300 065 3000 (24-hour service).

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency by emailing environmentalcrime@daera-ni.gov.uk