Dudley home raided in £5m international fraud gang raid (From Dudley News)

Dudley home raided in £5m international fraud gang raid

5:00pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News

FOUR people from the West Midlands have been arrested suspected of carrying out a £5 million international tax credit and maternity allowance fraud during dawn raids this morning.

In a joint operation by HM Revenue and Customs, West Midlands Police and the Department for Work and Pensions, three men and one woman, all aged in their thirties, were arrested and are currently being interviewed by HMRC criminal investigators.

HMRC investigators and Police officers swooped on a residential property in Dudley, two homes in West Bromwich and a residential and business property in Tipton, seizing computers, business records, paperwork, mobile phones and cash. Four vehicles were also searched, including a Mercedes and a Rover.

Adrian Farley, Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation for HMRC, said: “We are investigating what we suspect is a major plot to rob the country of vast sums of public money by an organised crime gang operating between the UK and Europe. We are working closely with our law enforcement colleagues abroad to close what we believe is a serious criminal attack against the UK tax credits and benefits system.

“We would encourage anyone with information on tax evasion and fraud to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000.”

Detective Inspector Neil Postins, from West Midlands Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “Around 30 of our officers have supported this morning’s operation which has seen a number of individuals arrested and a significant quantity of items seized.

“Fraud cases are notoriously complex and law enforcement agencies must work together to bring offenders to justice. This morning’s operation is a testament to those close relationships and another step-forward in the fight against fraud.”