Officers from the Manx police force’s financial investigation team are today executing six warrants in and around Douglas as part of an investigation into multiple fraud and money laundering offences.
This is part of an investigation involving UK HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the Manx police, Cheshire Constabulary and Guernsey Border Agency.
Four of the warrants being undertaken under section 22 (1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, are assisting requests from HMRC to search premises in the island central to their investigation into a suspected £21 million VAT and money laundering fraud.
Two further searches are being conducted under section 12 of the Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998 in respect of linked matters involving conspiracy to launder money and an act against public justice on the Isle of Man.
This operation is part of a co-ordinated approach across all three jurisdictions, with a number of simultaneous warrants being conducted in the UK and Guernsey.
As part of the continuing investigation into the offences one person has been arrested in the Isle of Man in relation to the investigation and will be interviewed by the officers from the Manx police.
A number of other arrests have been made in the UK and Guernsey and inquiries are continuing.
There will be considerable police activity in and around Hill Street in Douglas and Manor Park in Onchan.
People should not be alarmed to see officers from HM Revenue and Customs and the National Crime Agency, who are supporting the searches on the Isle of Man.
Police say a ‘considerable’ number of staff have been deployed to the various addresses with a view to minimising the time it takes to search each address and reduce the impact on businesses and staff in and around those premises.
The searches could take a considerable length of time and the police will continue to keep the media up to date with developments.
The police have contacted all organisations regulated by the Financial Supervision Commission in the Isle of Man about the matter.
The email reads:
- ‘The Isle of Man Financial Crime Unit wishes to advise all Isle of Man regulated entities that the following individuals and companies are currently part of an active criminal investigation with regard to a variety of serious offences, and would ask that a search of your records takes place for evidence of any type of business conducted with any of these individuals or companies, as well as any other entity associated to or with the subjects.
- ‘Any suspicion should be reported to the FCU and without delay. Grounds for suspicion should be clearly stated.’
It names four individuals, all of whom live in the Isle of Man, and 25 different Manx-registered companies.
While Isle of Man Newspapers has seen the email, we have decided not to publish those details after taking legal advice.
STORY CONTINUES TODAY 20/3/2015
Significant amounts of cash and business records have been seized by police conducting a £21m fraud and money laundering investigation in the island.
The police are today continuing their inquiries.
Officers from the force’s financial investigation team yesterday executed six warrants in and around Douglas in the investigation into multiple fraud and money laundering offences.
A number of these searches are continuing, taking considerable time to complete.
Officers from the Manx force, supported by HM Revenues and Customs and the UK’s National Crime Agency, are today (Thursday) still working on the matter.
A Manx force spokesman said that there would be continued police activity in and around Hill Street in Douglas and Manor Park in Onchan as a result.
In total, 13 warrants have been executed and seven people have been arrested across the
- UK,
- Guernsey and
- the Isle of Man
as part of the investigation.
Yesterday, the Manx police force said there had been one arrest in the Isle of Man.
They have not been more specific about where the seven arrests took place.
Significant amounts of cash and business records have been seized and will be subject of further investigation.
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