Published: Friday, 27th February, 2009 6:00pm

Arrests follow tax swoop on homes

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Four men have been arrested as part of a major investigation into a European £170million tax fraud.

The men, including two brothers, were arrested in Slough on suspicion of cheating the Government out of millions of pounds of VAT involving mobile phones.

Residents woke up on Wednesday morning to the noise of synchronised raids at 11 properties across the borough.

Police and plain clothes officers from Revenue and Customs in unmarked cars went to a business in Bath Road and 10 homes in Alpha Street North, Cranbourne Close, Slough, Clive Court, Seymour Road, Hull Close, Farnham Road and Beaumont Road.

Investigators confiscated a samurai sword, business documents, computers, mobile phones and fake passports as evidence during the raids.

An eyewitness in Alpha Road North, who did not want to be named, said: "I saw five or six cars zooming up the road. They went into the house and were looking around inside for a while. There were people with big cameras going in and out."

A Cranbourne Close resident, who also did not want to be named, said: "They stormed the house bringing out computers and boxes. The family have spent

some money doing the house up but they have always kept themselves to themselves."

Missing trader fraud relates to claiming VAT repayments to which the individuals are not entitled to.

Robert Gray, assistant director of operations and criminal investigations for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said: â€Å'The huge sums of money stolen by tax fraudsters have a serious impact on Government revenue which, in turn, effects the amount of money to spend on public

services for the benefit of the whole community. This is not victimless crime, it's organised crime that causes real harm."

The raids in Slough were part of an operation around the country.

The four, who are currently being invested by HMRC have been released on bail and will appear at Heathrow Police Station in June.