Arrests made in suspected ‘carousel’ fraud
AN Altrincham man has been arrested as part of a co-ordinated series of raids by officials from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs into a suspected multi-million pound VAT and money laundering fraud.
The 46 year-old was arrested alongside four men from Staffordshire as part of an investigation named operation Quicksilver.
Investigators said that the suspected fraudsters had targeted the caravan and motor home industry. Nine domestic and two commercial premises were searched yesterday as part of the investigation, and mobile phones, computers and business paperwork was seized from the premises.
Gary Lampon, HMRC’s assistant director of criminal investigation, said: “Tackling VAT fraud is one of our top priorities. Today’s raids are the result of a lengthy investigation and those arrested are being taken to police stations in Staffordshire and Greater Manchester for questioning by our investigators.”
The men are believed to be part of an organised crime syndicate purporting to trade in large quantities of high value caravan accessories in a version of ‘missing trader’, or carousel fraud. This sees the creation of a contrived chain of companies and false paperwork for the sole purpose of reclaiming VAT, on the purchase of equipment in the UK, for goods allegedly then exported to the European Union. It is thought the goods never existed.
