4 November, 2009  http://www.cnplus.co.uk/hot-topics/legal/six-arrested-over-tax-evasion-and-money-laundering/5210455.article

Six people have been arrested in regard to a suspected £4 million tax fraud following raids by HM Revenue and Customs.

The alleged offences include income tax, VAT and corporation tax evasion, construction industry fraud and money laundering.

Officers removed business records and computer evidence during searches at a residential property in Llandaff, Cardiff; a business property and a residential property in Chepstow, Monmouthshire; a property in Shirenewton, Monmouthshire used for both business and domestic purposes; and two residential properties and one business premises in Northampton.

A 65-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman from Cardiff were both arrested, as was a 56-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman from Monmouthshire and two men – aged 66 and 41 – from Northampton.

Raids were also carried out at a property in Havelte in the Netherlands, but no arrests were made.

The six arrested individuals were questioned and released on bail.

The woman from Monmouthshire was bailed until next month, while the remainder were bailed until February 2010.

The raids follow the arrest of 23 people across England in September on suspicion of conspiracy to cheat the Construction Industry Scheme and money laundering offences totalling more than £6m.

Criminal investigation assistant director Andrew Pavlinic: “We take very seriously our investigations into tax evasion, fraud, and the eventual laundering of the profits of these crimes. Those involved in this type of activity give themselves an advantage over those businesses that play by the rules, and that simply isn’t fair.”

HMRC said investigations were continuing.