We’re Up Against Putin, UK Cops Say as Shady Bank Payments Soar

The National Crime Agency has seen a surge in so-called suspicious activity reports filed by banks and other regulated institutions in the UK since February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.

The NCA, Britain’s equivalent of the FBI, on Thursday gave an update on the figures for the first time. The notices, which detail concerns around sanctions breaches as well as money laundering and terrorist financing, are often the starting point for an investigation by police.

The NCA, which started out as an agency focused on organized crime, is retooling to target the outsize influence of the oligarchs and their enablers. It’s ...