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International tax fraud gang arrested

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20th Feb 2013
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Four people from the West Midlands have been arrested, suspected of carrying out a £5m international tax credit and maternity allowance fraud in a joint operation by HMRC, West Midlands Police and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The three men and one woman were arrested during dawn raids, HMRC said.

HMRC investigators and police officers swooped on five residential and two business addresses in Tipton, Dudley, West Bromwich, Handsworth and Bewdley, 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.”
Three men and a woman, all in their thirties, are currently being interviewed by HMRC criminal investigator, HMRC said.

They were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cheat the Revenue contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1977, conspiracy to undertake fraudulent activity under the Tax Credits Act 2002, making and supplying articles for use in fraud contrary to the Fraud Act 2006, money laundering offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and conspiracy to defraud the DWP contrary to common law.

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By JCresswellTax
21st Feb 2013 09:19

Immediate thought

Birmingham FC fans.......second thought, they aren't clever enough!

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