Tributes have poured in to a “beautiful” 21-year-old woman killed in a horror, late-night crash outside a shopping centre.
Emergency services raced to Brassington Avenue in Sutton Coldfield on Friday night, after two women were struck by a car.
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A huge wall of tributes to a woman who died in a car crash has appeared in the West MidlandsCredit: SWNS
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Natasha was sadly killed on Friday nightCredit: SWNS
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Flowers have appeared at the wall which is based at the site of the crashCredit: SWNS
One victim was sadly pronounced dead at the scene shortly after midnight – despite the efforts of medics.
Although her full name hasn’t been released, the victim has been named locally as Natasha.
The other woman survived, though sustained a leg injury.
Meanwhile, two men were arrested by police on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
One suspect was released with no further action while the other was bailed with conditions while detectives continue to investigate.
A heartbreaking 25ft (7m) long shrine – featuring hundreds of tributes and flowers – has since appeared at the scene of the tragic smash.
One poignant note from her parents reads: “I hope you know how much you were loved. You will never know how much you are missed.
“Keep dancing my beautiful little girl. Love you forever, Mom, Dad, Georgia and Milo Xxxxxxxx woof lick.”
Another from her sister says: “Sis, Totally hilarious, kind and witty. You are one in a million. Party hard up there girly.
“We will love you and miss you forever. Until we meet again, G.”
Moment hero cop tackles knife-wielding yob who yanks at her hair in frantic broad-daylight brawl on high street
Another bouquet along the makeshift shrine, which also features dozens of photos of Natasha, added: “Beautiful inside and out. You will never be forgotten.”
One particularly poignant note from one of Natasha’s friends read: “My beautiful Tash, you were the best friend I could have ever wished for.
“You were so funny, caring and crazy. I’m so incredibly grateful for our time together. You changed my life.
“I will never ever forget you. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
One tribute from her uncle and auntie, read: “To our darling Tish, we are broken. You will be with us forever.”
Officers from West Midlands Police are still appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the collision outside Gracechurch shopping centre to come forward.
Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “I would like to thank all those who have contacted us so far and all those that went to the aid of the two young women on the night.
“Our investigation is continuing, and we would particularly like to hear from anyone who saw the car involved, a silver Toyota Corolla immediately before the collision happened.
“If you have any CCTV from the surrounding area, you should get in touch with us to share what you know.
“This was a heartbreaking incident which has robbed a young woman of her life.
“Our officers are working with her family, who remain in our thoughts at this desperately sad time, and I would ask that their privacy is respected”.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting log number 5911 of August 22 or email detectives directly at [email protected].
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Many of the pictures show Natasha with friends and familyCredit: SWNS
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Hundreds of heartfelt tributes have been left at the wallCredit: SWNS
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Many people left notes addressed to NatashaCredit: SWNS
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Several of the notes included heartwarming picturesCredit: SWNS
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Police are appealing for more information about the crashCredit: SWNS
A WOMAN has been raped in a horrific late-night attack close to a popular park.
Police launched an investigation after receiving a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted late last night in the Burnham Park area of Slough, Berkshire.
Thames Valley Police said the victim was attacked at some time between between 11.45pm yesterday and 12.30am today.
She is being supported by specially trained officers, cops confirmed.
Superintendent Clare Knibbs said the force was now hunting for the attacker as it “carries out a thorough investigation“.
She said no arrests have been made at this time but that officers were “following a number of enquiries”.
Supt Knibbs added that the force was working with the victim to gather further information.
She said: “We would ask anyone who was in the park or anyone who has further information to please come forward and call 101 quoting reference 43250434481.
“Additional reassurance patrols will be conducted in the Burnham Park area.”
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POLICE are urgently searching for two women who “may be together” after they vanished months ago.
Lorna Nightingale, 70, was last seen in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in February while Emma Nightingale, 36, has not been seen since being spotted in Colchester, Essex, in June.
Cops said it is known that both women have connections to Essex, suggesting that they may have travelled there.
SuffolkPolice added that officers believed the women “may be together.”
Both women are from Lowestoft, cops said.
Lorna is described as being 5ft 2in tall, of a slim build, with short grey hair.
Emma is described as 5ft 8 in tall, with mousey-coloured long hair.
If you have seen Lorna or Emma, or have any information about them, contact police by calling 999.
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Police believe the two women ‘may be together’Credit: Suffolk Police
MIGRANT protests have broken out across UK cities today, as demonstrators clash with police.
It comes following a landmark ruling on the use of the Epping hotel.
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Anti-immigration protesters have gathered outside the Radisson Hotel in Perth, ScotlandCredit: PA
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Mounted police have clashed with protesters in BristolCredit: PA
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Counter protesters from the anti-racist group Stand Up to Racism are also presentCredit: PA
A number of cities will see demonstrations over the weekend, primarily centred on so-called asylum hotels, with an estimated 27 protests expected over the bank holiday weekend.
A protest at Castle Park in Bristol saw mounted police officers clashing with demonstrators.
The demonstration was led by Abolish Asylum System, with anti-racism counter protesters also present.
Another protest in Horley, Surrey saw around 200 anti-immigration protesters draped in St George’s and Union flags.
They were opposed by roughly 50 Stand Up to Racism protesters.
Those on the anti-racism side chanted “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”, with signs called for an end to deportations.
They were met with abuse from the anti-immigration group, one of whom yelled through a megaphone “you’re all scum and you should be ashamed” claiming it “wasn’t about racism”.
Police are separating the two groups.
Further protests are taking place outside the New Bridge Hotel in Newcastle.
Anti-immigration could be seen carrying Union Jacks as they faced off against police.
One woman could be seen carrying a sign that reads “fairness isn’t extremism”, with a St George’s flag donned like a cape.
The protests come following a ruling earlier this week on the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping.
Following weeks of protests outside the hotel, the High Court ruled that it must remove migrants staying there.
The Home Office has since launched an appeal against the decision in the hopes of continuing its use as a home for asylum seekers.
When Angelenos face a situation that requires calling 911 — such as encountering a person in the throes of a mental health crisis — the first responders are usually firefighters or armed police officers.
But a new report suggests a third option holds promise for the future.
For the past year, Los Angeles has been testing a program that dispatches specially trained civilians who don’t carry guns in response to certain calls for help. The report released earlier this month by the city said the early results are encouraging.
“When deployed to non-violent, non-urgent calls for service, unarmed crisis responders have been shown to minimize the potential for escalation and address critical mental health emergencies in a manner that prioritizes compassion and safety,” the report said.
The use of so-called “unarmed crisis responders,” the report found, not only offers specialized care to people who need help — it also allows “LAPD more time to focus on traditional law enforcement efforts.”
The ongoing pilot program has teams of licensed clinicians, social workers, community workers and therapists who work in pairs, responding to calls around the clock, seven days a week. Over its first year, the program handled more than 6,700 calls, largely to conduct welfare checks and respond to reports of public intoxication and indecent exposure.
While the program’s workload of roughly 40 calls a day is still a fraction of what the LAPD handles, the report says it has already saved police nearly 7,000 hours of patrol time by freeing them up for other tasks. With the city’s police force struggling to fill its ranks, officials say such programs could have a larger role in the future.
The report does not touch on what impact, if any, the teams have had on low-level crimes in the areas they cover, but the hope is that it will ultimately make the city safer.
The outreach workers conduct follow-up visits after certain calls and offer specialized services to people who are willing to accept them, including mental health treatment and drug rehabilitation programs.
The Unarmed Model of Crisis Response, as the program is known, is one of two that city officials are operating. The other, called the CIRCLE program, operates out of the mayor’s office with its own call center and dedicated service areas.
Although some skeptics questioned whether unarmed civilians would too often be overmatched by the subjects they encounter, the recent report found that fewer than 4.1% of calls end up requiring police backup. Those cases typically involved individuals who insisted on having an officer present or who turned out to have weapons, the report said.
The findings come as advocates brace for billions in federal spending expected to be slashed from social safety net programs by the Trump administration. The looming cuts have renewed questions about how L.A.’s program and similar ones across the country will scale up and have more impact.
More than half of the calls that the unarmed responders handle involve some type of disturbance, with reports of a prowler or trespasser as the next most common category. On average, the teams take about 28 minutes to respond to a call, and once there they spend about 25 minutes on scene, according to the city’s recent report.
In one case, an unarmed responder team was dispatched to an apartment where a woman identified in the report as “Liz” had been behaving erratically. The team arrived to find her unit’s door open. The woman invited them inside and they saw evidence suggesting she may have overdosed while her gas stove was left on. After turning off the burners and opening windows to ventilate the apartment, the team contacted firefighters and stayed with the woman until they arrived. They eventually convinced her to go to a hospital to get checked out.
The civilian teams won’t go to calls that involve weapons or violence or a need for urgent medical attention. They also do not handle situations where minors are present or when there are three or more people involved in an incident.
Police department officials have said repeatedly that, despite increased crisis intervention training and new “less-lethal” weapons designed to incapacitate rather than kill, officers are not always equipped to handle mental health calls.
LAPD leaders have said in the past that they support the program, while cautioning that any call has the potential to quickly spiral into violence.
The program, run by the office of the city administrator, was initially rolled out to three police divisions spread across the city — Devonshire, Wilshire and Southeast — but has since expanded to three others: West L.A., Olympic and West Valley.
The unarmed responder program launched in March 2024 amid continued public frustration with the city’s handling of the intertwined issues of homelessness, substance abuse and mental health. Much of the criticism was leveled at the LAPD following a string of shootings and other use-of-force incidents that involved individuals experiencing crises.
So far in 2025, LAPD officers have shot 27 people. At least a third of those incidents involved someone who was experiencing a behavioral crisis, according to a Times analysis of incident reports and interviews with families of the people shot.
Efforts to ease the reliance on armed police for emergency responses have been around for years, with several new programs springing up since 2020, spurred by a nationwide movement to redirect law enforcement funding following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Researchers have tracked more than 100 such programs across the U.S.
Despite showing promise, some city-run initiatives in Los Angeles have struggled to grow. Many similar programs across the country continue to face challenges around how to scale up.
The Los Angeles Fire Department ended its use of psychiatric mobile response teams in vans to calls around the city after officials said it didn’t actually free up first responders or hospital emergency rooms. Another plan to have unarmed Transportation Department workers conduct traffic stops — instead of police — has been dragging on for months.
Even so, proponents of the other ongoing programs are expressing cautious optimism.
“This data proves that care-first approaches work — they keep people safe, cost less, and prevent the expensive liabilities that drain our budget year after year,” City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said in a statement.
Hernandez, who represents neighborhoods on the city’s Eastside and co-chairs a council committee on unarmed responses, added, “I’m proud we’re showing that Los Angeles can expand our public safety ecosystem and save lives, save money, and invest in care instead of harm.”
Godfrey Plata, deputy director of the nonprofit group LA Forward, which has advocated for unarmed alternatives to police, said his organization was pleased with the growth of the program and the City Council’s willingness to increase its funding “even in a budget deficit year.”
With the World Cup and the Olympics on the horizon, the city must continue to explore ways to protect both locals and the large number of tourists expected to arrive for those events, Plata said.
“This is a cost-saving measure in addition to a life-saving measure,” Plata said. “It would be really great to have a system built out by then to be able to absorb the shock of our emergency management systems.”
Emergency services raced to the scene and the injured man was rushed to hospital.
Three others were arrested in connection with the incident and remain in police custody.
Police said a 19-year-old man, a 33-year-old woman and a 35-year-old woman were all arrested.
The injured man was treated in hospital and has since been released.
Cops said they were aware of footage of the incident circulating online and asked that the video not be shared.
Detective Inspector Chris Burrow of North Wales Police said: “We are aware of distressing footage of this incident circulating online and I would urge members of the public not to share these videos further.
“There has been an increased police presence in the area today whilst we located the remaining suspect who has now been arrested.
“Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist our enquiries should contact police if they haven’t already done so.”
North Wales Police are asking anyone with information to contact police via the North Wales Police website, by calling 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers quoting reference C128574.
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An altercation between four people turned violent in Bethesda, North Wales, yesterday
A WOMAN has died after falling from a 32-floor skyscraper in London’s financial district.
Police were scrambled to Sirocco Tower in Canary Wharf this morning following the horror.
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The woman fell to her death in Canary WharfCredit: BPM
The woman, aged in her 20s, tragically could not be saved and was declared dead at the scene.
The Met Police have now launched a probe into the tragedy.
A spokesperson said: “At around 06:39hrs on Wednesday, 13 August police responded to calls that a person had fallen from height in Harbour Way, Canary Wharf.
“Police and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene but sadly a woman in her 20s was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Her next of kin have been notified and are being supported by specialist officers.“
At this time her death is being treated as unexpected and enquiries continue.”
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A MISSING girl lay dying in her flat alone after police deemed her a “medium” risk and left, an inquest heard.
Alex Duce, 18, was reported missing by her worried mum after she struggled to get in touch with her.
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Alex Duce died after her worried mum reported her missing
A police officer went to her flat in Tredegar, South Wales, at 11am to try to speak to the beauty student but failed to get an answer.
An inquest heard PC Michael Lammert left the home because Alex was only deemed a “medium risk” because a pal told him “she does this from time to time”.
PC Lammert said: “To me I took that as she shuts off from people and doesn’t want contact with friends and family sometimes.”
This was despite Alex’s mum telling police she had been struggling with her mental health and had self harmed five weeks earlier.
PC Lammert said: “There was no immediacy. If there was a clear message relaying she was contemplating suicide then that would definitely have been a higher risk.”
The incident at that point was not deemed serious enough to allow Gwent Police to use powers of entry as there was not enough evidence that Alex was inside the flat.
The court heard police returned at 4pm to find Alex’s loved ones outside banging on the door.
But in another tragic delay, the officers had to wait for heavy equipment needed to gain entry to the flat.
At the time, there was only one entry kit per police station that contained the apparatus needed.
PC Lauren Smith, who had gone to the home, said it was common for officers not to be able to locate the kits and admitted it was “frustrating”.
The court heard it took 30 minutes to retrieve the kit – with police finally gaining entry at around 5pm.
Alex was discovered hanged in her room still showing signs of life before being rushed to hospital, the inquest was told.
She was put on advanced life support but her machine was switched off and she died five days later on September 16, 2022.
PC Smith said she began to realise more about the case after being told Alex had self harmed and in her mind the risk became higher.
She said: “That information was never made available to me. The sense of urgency increased while I was there as I gained more information.”
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
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Alex had previously struggled with her mental healthCredit: WNS
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The beauty student was deemed a ‘medium’ risk by police
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She was rushed to hospital but sadly couldn’t be savedCredit: WNS
A POLICE force sent undercover cops jogging to expose vile catcallers who target women on their runs.
Two officers from SurreyPolice hit the streets in sportswear to show how often women get harassed while running – and, unsurprisingly, they were “catcalled within minutes”.
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Two undercover cops run to expose how often women are catcalledCredit: LBC
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PC Abby Hayward, who took part in the operation, said catcalling makes her feel ‘diminished’ and ‘uncomfortable’Credit: LBC
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84 per cent of women have been harassed while running, one survey revealed
The operation, first reported by LBC, saw undercover officers jogging through known harassment “hotspots” in Reigate, Surrey during the evening rush hour.
Specialist units were close by, ready to step in if the women faced abuse, Surrey Police said.
The two officers were “targeted within minutes” by a man in a large truck who “honked at them and made gestures out the window”, according to LBC.
“These behaviours may not be criminal offences in themselves, but they need to be addressed,” a spokesperson for the force said.
Inspector John Vale said: “One of our officers was honked at within ten minutes – then another vehicle slowed down, beeping and making gestures just 30 seconds later – that’s how frequent it is.
“Someone slowing down, staring, shouting – even if it’s not always criminal – it can have a huge impact on people’s everyday lives and stops women from doing something as simple as going for a run.
“We have to ask: is that person going to escalate? Are they a sexual offender? We want to manage that risk early.”
PC Abby Hayward, who went undercover, said this kind of sexual harassment was a daily reality for women – and leaves her feeling “diminished” and “uncomfortable”.
She said: “This behaviour is either a precursor to something more serious or it’s ignorance, and it’s fixable.
“That’s where our interventions come in: to stop potential repeat offenders or help people understand that what they’re doing isn’t OK.”
Frantic search for missing mum, 49, who vanished from popular UK seaside town as daughter begs ‘please come home’
Surrey Police said its ‘Jog On’ campaign – launched just four weeks ago – has led to 18 arrests, including for sexual assault and theft.
Inspector Vale said: “We know that this kind of harassment is significantly under reported thanks to a study carried out by Surrey County Council this year, which revealed that of 450 female residents surveyed, 49 per cent never reported.
“To date, we have made a number of interventions following reports of harassment of our plain clothes runners.
“In these cases, it was deemed appropriate to provide education around anti-social behaviour.
“For repeat offenders or where the behaviour is more serious, we will robustly pursue all criminal justice outcomes.
“We recognise this is a significant worry for women and girls, and we’ll continue to patrol running routes throughout Redhill.”
He continued: “This type of harassment isn’t just being experienced by communities in Reigate and Banstead, but communities across the whole of Surrey, and it’s unacceptable.
“We have female officers and staff members who have been the subject to such behaviour when off duty.
“The message I would like to impart to perpetrators is this; your actions will not be tolerated.
“Please reflect and ask yourself ‘is this how you would treat or want your partner, mother, sister to be treated?”
“The next time you see a female jogger, just think, they could be a police officer with colleagues nearby ready to stop you. Your behaviour is not welcome in Surrey.”
The campaign faced criticism from the Free Speech Union, who called it a “bizarre social psychology experiment” and urged police to “stop hunting pre-crimes”.
Other forces have also taken steps to tackle the sexual harassment of women runners by men.
In 2022, the Met Police launched a buddy system, with officers accompanying a women’s running club in London.
84 per cent of women have been harassed while jogging, according to a 2021 survey by Runner’s World.
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PC Abby Hayward said that catcalling is a daily reality for womenCredit: LBC
DOZENS of supercars worth around £7 million were seized by police in a major sting operation this weekend.
More than 70 luxury motors were nabbed in the crackdown – including one from an owner who had been in the UK for just two hours.
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Two identical purple Lamborghinis were seized – with their owner having only entered the UK just two hours priorCredit: SWNS
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Cops were seen plastering stickers on vehicles which did not have valid insuranceCredit: SWNS
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Several motors were found to be uninsured or had invalid insurance policies for the UKCredit: SWNS
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A major police sting operation over the weekend led to the seizure of more than 70 supercars in LondonCredit: SWNS
The collaborative operation saw forces from the Metropolitan Police join with those from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) to respond to the rise in anti-social and dangerous driving in London.
A flurry of expensive cars were seized across Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea in the capital, including from luxury brands Ferrari, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz.
Two identical purple Lamborghinis – which were uninsured and had been flown into Britain for their owner’s summer trip – were also impounded.
One of the two drivers had been in the UK for just two hours, and behind the wheel for just 15 minutes, before being caught.
The MIB explained that several of the seized vehicles had been brought into Britain from abroad.
Many of these vehicles’ drivers were relying on motor insurance from their home countries, failing to verify if those police provided valid coverage in the UK.
In total, the operation led to the impounding of 72 motors, many of which were uninsured or inadequately covered.
Officers also detected a range of other criminal activity in their investigation.
This included individuals wanted for actual bodily harm and criminal damage, for drug offences, for stolen vehicles, for immigration offences and for fraudulent insurance policies, known as “ghost broking“.
Cops also issued countless tickets for a range of other offences, including driving without a valid licence, using a mobile phone while driving, and failing to have a valid MOT.
Chilling moment burglars take £500k of gold jewellery from home in sacks
Tickets were also doled out to those who had illegally tinted windows, who were not wearing a seatbelt, and those who were operating vehicles in a dangerous condition.
Officers also identified individuals who had made often-innocent mistakes, such as updating DVLA about the use of a personalised number plate but failing to notify their insurance provider.
The operation provided an opportunity for the motorists to rectify their errors whilst demonstrating just how vigilant the police are to these issues.
Seventy-five officers from the Met’s Special Constabulary and Vehicle Enforcement Team took part, using several methods to identify uninsured drivers.
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A number of luxury branded cars were impounded in the stingCredit: SWNS
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The combined value of the vehicles was around £7 millionCredit: SWNS
Special Chief Officer James Deller from the Metropolitan Police, who attended the operation, said: “The Met is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour.
“This operation was set up to respond to resident, business and visitors’ concerns about high-value vehicles causing a nuisance in known hotspot areas in central and west London.
“Already the Met has reduced neighbourhood crime by 19 per cent compared to the same time last year and we’re addressing anti-social behaviour caused by uninsured drivers.
“This has been a great opportunity to work with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and for officers to speak with members of the public about the work we do, educate drivers and enforce the law.
“We’ve had some real success – thank you to Special Constable colleagues who volunteer their time to help drive down crime across London.”
Martin Saunders, Head of Uninsured Driving Prevention at MIB, reinforced the dual goals of enforcement and awareness: “We urge all motorists to check their insurance policy is in place, is appropriate for their needs and to reach out to their insurer if they are unsure on any part of their policy.
“While many offenders knowingly violated the law, others fell victim to simple mistakes such as bounced payments, failed renewals or incorrect details.
“With growing concern over seasonal hotspots and tourist-linked offences, the Met and MIB plan to continue enforcement and education efforts throughout the year.
“We don’t want any driver to become uninsured in the first place.
“These rules apply to all motorists, regardless of the value of vehicle they choose to drive.”
COPS are urgently hunting for a topless man after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted on the Tube.
Police said that their suspect struck on a Jubilee line train travelling between Southwark and London Bridge on Monday, June 30.
The alleged sexual assault happened just before 5pm, when thousands of commuters would be leaving the office and getting on the London Underground.
Now, the British Transport Police (BTP) has released a CCTV image in the hopes someone can identify the person of interest.
The picture shows a middle-aged white man of medium build with short dark hair.
He is wearing black and white patterned shorts and appears to have a tattoo on his right arm.
A BTP statement said: “Officers would like to speak to the man pictured as they believe he may have information which could help their investigation.”
The statement added: “Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 500 of 30 June.
“Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Data released byTransport for Londonrevealed over 800 reports of sexual assault on the London Underground were made in 2024.
This was an increase of 56 assaults when compared to the previous year, with 745 occurring between April 2022 and April 2023.
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Officers investigating a sexual assault on board a Jubilee line train have today released this image in connectionCredit: British Transport Police
COPS have launched an urgent probe after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted near a church as they urge any witnesses to come forward.
The shocking attack is reported to have taken place in Liftondown, Devon, at the weekend sparking a police investigation.
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A woman was sexually assaulted near a Methodist church in Devon this weekend
The woman was sexually assaulted by a man at around 1am on Saturday, August 2, Devon and Cornwall Police say.
The attack allegedly happened near the Methodist church on the A388 in Liftondown.
Officers, who said the woman is being supported by specially trained staff, are appealing for dashcam footage from anyone driving in the area at the time.
Detective Inspector Neil Lloyd said: “The female victim is being supported by specially trained officers as our enquiries are continuing.
“We are currently appealing for dashcam footage from anyone who was driving in that area between midnight and 2am on Saturday 2 August.
“Incidents of this nature understandably cause great concern in the local community, and we urge anyone with any information to contact us.”
AN XXL Labubu doll worth more than £100,000 was uncovered by Hong Kong police during a major raid on Tuesday morning.
The gang, suspected of laundering £4 billion, had been under surveillance for two and a half years – but police never expected to find a giant plush toy among their illicit haul.
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The assets seized by police include a giant Labubu dollCredit: Hong Kong Police / X
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Hong Kong police have been monitoring the gang for the past two and a half yearsCredit: Hong Kong Police / X
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Hong Kong police have arrested 82 people in a citywide anti-triad raidCredit: Hong Kong Police / X
According to the South Morning China Post, the seized goods belonged to the Triad syndicate – one of the oldest and most notorious criminal organisations in China.
Hong Kong police launched a large-scale raid on Tuesday, writing in a post on X: “When the time was ripe – the HKPF mounted the territory-wide anti-triad ‘Operation HIDDENARROW’ on July 29, 2025.”
The force seized €780,000 in cash, 11,000 bottles of wine, luxury watches, gold and a 5ft2 Labubu doll.
The figure is said to be rare – one of fifteen of its kind in the world.
A similar piece went under the hammer in Beijing in June for around £113,000.
As many as 82 suspects were reportedly arrested during the operation – 55 men and 27 women, ranging in age from 19 to 78.
Among them was the alleged 44-year-old ringleader.
He is suspected of running the operation and involving friends and family in the money laundering scheme.
Police added on X: “The ringleader manipulated his family & friends as well as the members of his gang into laundering the crime proceeds via calculated means.”
They listed this means as “continuously laundering the illicit funds via a trust company” and “committing #LoanFraud – using some seemingly lawful import trades as fronts.”
Dramatic moment crowds join massive queue to grab viral Labubu dolls as latest doll craze sweeps across the world
The gang’s funds came from prostitution, drug trafficking and illegal gambling, according to police.
Police said they froze assets worth around £115 million.
It’s still unclear whether Triad was banking on a rise in the Labubu doll’s value, were fans of the character or whether the toy might be a fake.
Labubus have taken the internet by storm – with Chinese toymaker Pop Mart’s valuation skyrocketing to £31.6bn.
The cult collectable dollshave been spotted dangling from the designer bags of Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham.
What is the Labubu doll craze?
LABUBU is a brand of plushies designed by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung.
The brand made its debut in 2015, but skyrocketed in global popularity after hitting Pop Mart shelves in 2019.
Pop Mart is a Chinese toy retailer, known for its collectable designer models that are often sold in a blind box format.
The company has a stock market value of over £31.6bn.
After mammoth success overseas, the Labubu craze has made its way to the UK.
The first three months of 2025 were wildly successful for the brand, with Brits searching high and low to nab one of the quirky figurines.
In June, Labubu sales in the US went up by 5,000% compared to the year before, according to estimates from equity research firm M Science.
But Labubu’s popularity has led to a rise in counterfeits – sometimes referred to as Lafufu dolls.
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Hong Kong police have arrested 82 people in a citywide anti-triad operationCredit: Hong Kong Police / X
United States President Donald Trump has travelled to the southern tip of Florida to inaugurate a new immigration detention facility, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz.
On Tuesday, Trump joined Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the remote facility, located in a vast wetland region known as the Everglades.
“This is what you need,” Trump said. “A lot of bodyguards and a lot of cops in the form of alligators.”
The president then quipped about the dangers: “I wouldn’t want to run through the Everglades for long.”
The facility, built on the site of the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport in Ochopee, is designed to help address the need for more beds and more space to carry out Trump’s campaign for mass deportation.
State Attorney General James Uthmeier first announced Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” two weeks ago, sharing a video on social media that featured bellowing alligators and pulsing rock music to underscore the forbidding nature of the facility.
“This 30-square-mile [78sq-km] area is completely surrounded by the Everglades. It presents an efficient, low-cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility because you don’t need to invest that much in the perimeter,” Uthmeier said.
“If people get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide.”
Its nickname draws from the lore surrounding the Alcatraz federal prison, an isolated, maximum-security detention centre built on a rocky island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay in California. That facility, closed since 1963, gained a reputation for being unescapable — though there were, indeed, five escapees whose fates remain unknown.
“It might be as good as the real Alcatraz site,” Trump said of the Florida site on Tuesday. “That’s a spooky one too, isn’t it? That’s a tough site.”
Alcatraz has long been a source of fascination for Trump, who mused earlier this year about reopening the San Francisco facility, despite cost and feasibility concerns.
Similarly, the Alligator Alcatraz facility has spurred criticism for its human rights implications, its location in an environmentally sensitive landscape and its proximity to communities of Miccosukee and Seminole Indigenous peoples.
But the Trump administration has embraced its location as a selling point, as it seeks to take a hard-knuckled stance on immigration.
“There is only one road leading in, and the only way out is a one-way flight. It is isolated and surrounded by dangerous wildlife in unforgiving terrain,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.
“ This is an efficient and low-cost way to help carry out the largest mass deportation campaign in American history.”
The Florida government has set up temporary, modular units in Ochopee, Florida, for the new detention facility [WSVN via AP]
Dressed in a baseball cap that read, “Gulf of America: Yet another Trump development”, Trump flew to Ochopee to inspect the Alligator Alcatraz facility on its opening day.
Florida officials have celebrated the fact that it took only eight days to set up the detention centre, which appears to use temporary structures on the pavement of the former airport.
Governor DeSantis, who ran against Trump in 2024 for the Republican presidential nomination, said that Alligator Alcatraz would take advantage of the adjacent airstrip to facilitate expedited deportations for migrants.
“Say they already are been ordered to be deported,” DeSantis told reporters on Tuesday.
“You drive them 2,000 feet [667 metres] to the runway. And then they’re gone. It’s a one-stop shop, and this airport that’s been here for a long time is the perfectly secure location.”
The head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Kevin Guthrie, added that the facility will be equipped to hold up to 3,000 migrants — up from an initial estimate of 1,000 — with the potential for expanding the premises.
A further 2,000 people will be held at Camp Blanding, a National Guard base on the other side of the state, in northern Florida.
A poster on display at Trump’s news conference in Ochopee also advertised 1,000 staff members on site, more than 200 security cameras and 28,000 feet — or 8,500 metres — of barbed wire.
Guthrie sought to dispel concerns that the facility might be vulnerable to natural disasters like hurricanes. The Everglades, after all, collects overflow from nearby Lake Okeechobee and drains that water into the Florida Bay, making it a region prone to natural flooding.
“As with all state correctional facilities, we have a hurricane plan,” Guthrie said, pointing to the detention centre’s “fully aluminium-frame structure”.
He said it was capable of withstanding winds up to 110 miles per hour (177 kilometres per hour), equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane.
“All in all, sir,” Guthrie told Trump, “this has been a perfect state logistics exercise for this hurricane season.”
Protesters line the roadway leading to the site known as Alligator Alcatraz on June 28 [Marco Bello/Reuters]
Still, human rights advocates and environmental groups gathered on the highway leading to Alligator Alcatraz on Tuesday to show their opposition to Trump and his deportation plans.
Protesters chanted through megaphones, “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go.” Some picket signs read, “Communities not cages” and “We say no to Alligator Alcatraz!”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida released a statement prior to the facility’s opening, denouncing the Trump administration for conflating immigration with criminality.
The creation of Alligator Alcatraz, it said, was an extension of that mentality.
“The name ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ reflects an intent to treat people fleeing hardship and trying to build a better life for themselves and their families as dangerous criminals, which is both unnecessary and abusive,” the ACLU branch said.
Meanwhile, the Friends of the Everglades, an environmental group, called upon its supporters to contact Governor DeSantis to oppose the “massive detention center”. It noted that the construction of the airport itself had raised similar environmental concerns nearly 50 years earlier.
“Surrounded by Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, this land is part of one of the most fragile ecosystems in the country,” the group said in a statement.
“The message is clear: No airports. No rock mines. No prisons. Only Everglades. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. This land deserves lasting protection.”
Trump, however, argued in Tuesday’s news conference that the construction mostly built upon the existing airport.
“ I don’t think you’ve done anything to the Everglades,” he said, turning to Governor DeSantis. “I think you’re just enhancing it.”
DeSantis himself brushed aside the environmental criticisms as attempts to derail the president’s deportation initiative.
“ I don’t think those are valid and even good faith criticisms because it’s not going to impact the Everglades at all,” the governor said, promising no seepage into the surrounding ecosystem.
Trump hinted that the Alligator Alcatraz site could be the first of many similar, state-led immigration detention facilities.
“ I think we’d like to see them in many states — really, many states,” he said. “At some point, they might morph into a system where you’re gonna keep it for a long time.”
THE family of Minnesota Senator John Hoffman has revealed how his wife Yvette used her body as a shield when a gunman opened fire in their home.
Both Hoffman and Yvette were seriously injured when they were targeted in an attempted assassination at their home in Champlin around 2 am on Saturday morning.
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Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot 11 times during the attack at their homeCredit: Facebook/Mat Ollig
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One bullet narrowly missed the Senator’s heartCredit: Facebook/Mat Ollig
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The couple’s daughter Hope was not injured in the attack thanks to the heroic actions of her motherCredit: Facebook/John Hoffman
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Bullet holes mark the front door the Hoffman’s homeCredit: Reuters
Less than two hours later, the gunman, suspected to be 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, shot and killed DFL speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home in Brooklyn Park.
Hoffman, 60, and his wife underwent surgery at the Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids and are stable.
The pair were shot 11 times by the crazed gunman who posed as a police officer, their nephew Mat Ollig shared in an update on Facebook.
He revealed how Yvette heroically threw herself in front of their daughter Hope to shield her from the bullets.
Hope, who is in her 20s, was not injured in the horror attack.
Senator Hoffman was shot six times and Yvette five, Ollig said.
“My aunt threw herself on her daughter, using her body as a shield to save her life,” he wrote.
“They are both out of surgery and stable. These two are the kindest, most giving and caring people I know.”
He called the horror attack “a political act of terrorism” carried out by a “vile piece of s*** dressed as a cop”.
“I am beyond sick,” Ollig wrote as he shared pictures of the family.
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The Hoffman’s nephew said he was left ‘sick’ after hearing of the attackCredit: Facebook/Mat Ollig
One of the bullets that struck Hoffman narrowly missed his heart, local outlet KARE11 reported.
Images from the scene show the Hoffmans’ front door riddled with bullet holes.
Boelter was named as a suspect for the shootings on Saturday afternoon sparking a major manhunt.
As the search continues into its second day, cops are tightening the net around the 57-year-old who allegedly wore a creepy latex mask when he gunned down his victims.
They have located a vehicle of interest and the cowboy hat they believe Boelter was wearing when he was last seen in the Twin Cities area.
These were found on Highway 25 roughly half way between Green Isle, where Boelter has a property, and Belle Plaine, KARE 11 reported.
State patrol confirmed they found a black vehicle on the side of the road that is of interest in the hunt for the suspect.
They also found a cowboy hat matching the one Boelter was seen wearing in the last CCTV footage of him lying in the open on the side of the road.
About 100 yards away from the road, is a property that KARE 11 says has a major police presence around it as part of the manhunt.
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Cops believe they have located the cowboy hat suspect Vance Boelter was last seen wearingCredit: KARE 11
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Boelter captured on CCTV after the double shootingCredit: EPA
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Roads have been closed off as cops search the area as part of the manhuntCredit: KARE 11
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A vehicle of interest linked to Boelter has been found on the roadsideCredit: KARE 11
It has not been confirmed if Boelter is still in the area.
The FBI has issued a $50,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest and a conviction.
Hours after the double shooting, at around 6 am, Boelter’s roommate and best friend David Carlson received a string of chilling text messages from him in which Boelter said “I may be dead shortly”.
“I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while,” he said to his friends David and Ron.
“May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”
Officials have said that they believe Boelter may have been trying to flee.
His wife Jenny was detained after a traffic stop during which cops found she was carrying weapons, cash, and passports,KTSPreported, citing law enforcement officials.
She was not arrested and officers have warned that as the search continues, Boelter should be considered armed and dangerous.
Officials have urged the public to send in tips and call 911 if they see him.
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Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed in the attack at their homeCredit: AP
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Police tape blocks off the home of Melissa HortmanCredit: AP
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Boelter is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approachedCredit: EPA
PEOPLE smugglers are using women and children as human shields in a diversion tactic to get past French police – before mostly men make it onto a dinghy.
Families with young babies and kids were put at the front of the queue of migrants entering the vast beach from the sand dunes in Gravelines, near Calais, yesterday with young men trailing behind.
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People-smugglers are using women and children as a diversion tactic to get young male migrants past French policeCredit: Getty
The diversionary tactics meant the 40 police officers, armed and waiting with pepper spray and tear gas, remained calm and did not use force against the group straight away to avoid injuring the children.
Instead, officers kettled the group and successfully marched them off back into the sand dunes.
But, when the time was right and the police thought they had taken the group off the beach, a group of mostly men suddenly sprinted off into the sand dunes before making a break for it back onto the beach.
Most of the migrants with children did not return to the beach.
It comes after senior Labour minister Darren Jones was slammed after suggesting on BBC’s Question Time that the majority of migrants entering by small boats that he had seen were women and children.
A dramatic cat and mouse game followed yesterday with tear gas being fired over Gravelines beach in an attempt to keep migrants away from the sea.
But they failed to stop a nearby dinghy from picking up the migrants and it left for British shores with mostly men on board.
It comes after official figures showed that more than 919 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Friday on 14 dinghies – averaging around 66 people per boat.
It has taken the provisional annual total to 16,183, which is 42 per cent higher than the same point last year and 79 per cent up on the same date in 2023.
The highest daily number so far this year was 1,195 on May 31.
MASKED yobs hurled petrol bombs and fireworks at cops for a fifth night in Northern Ireland, in what has been dubbed a “week of shame” for the region.
Cops battled another night of violence as thugs continued to cause widespread devastation after the chaos began on Monday.
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A rioter walks past burning flames after chaos in Northern IrelandCredit: Getty
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Riot police were out in force but were met by a barrage of petrol bombs and fireworksCredit: Getty
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Riot police officers walk near a fire during the fourth night of unrest following a protest over an alleged sexual assault on a local teenage girlCredit: Reuters
The unrest began on Monday in Ballymena over the alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town and the subsequent arrest of two 14-year-old boys.
But the focus of the violence and unrest has since shifted to Portadown.
One officer was directly in the impact of a petrol bomb that landed behind a line of police vehicles during a sustained standoff with those participating in the unrest yesterday.
Fireworks, masonry, and bottles were among other items thrown at riot police deployed in the town.
Shortly before midnight, the PSNI used a water cannon on the crowd in an effort to disperse those gathered on West Street into other areas.
The force used the water cannon again at around 12.30am on Saturday.
Elsewhere on Friday, there were reports of disruption and damage to public property as riot police responded to another protest in the Tullyally area of Londonderry.
It came after a senior officer said there would be a “scaled-up” policing presence across Northern Ireland in anticipation of further disorder over the weekend.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the mobilisation, which would include officers sent over from Scotland, was “to reassure our communities and protect our streets”.
Violence originally erupted on Monday, stemming from an initially peaceful gathering to support a girl and her family after an alleged sexual assault.
Two 14-year-old boys appeared in court charged with attempted rape on Monday.
A third man, 28, was also arrested over the alleged sexual assault.
The boys confirmed their names – which cannot be reported – and their ages through a Romanian interpreter at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court.
But within hours of their court appearance, disorder broke out in Co Antrim.
Families in the town of Ballymena have been forced to flee their homes as the riots continue.
Crowds set fire to piles of furniture in the middle of the streets, homes were set alight, and multiple cars went up in flames.
Harrowing photos from the last two nights show the charred remains of residents’ property.
Footage showed masked and hooded rioters lobbing petrol bombs, fireworks and bricks at cops trying to calm the unrest on Tuesday.
